Getting to the Drinking Driver – a research presentation

Chris Eynon, TNS System Three Scottish Road Safety Annual Seminar 2007 25 th October 2007

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Programme Background to the research Method and sample Quantitative survey among drivers – progress since 2001 Qualitative insight from the drinking drivers Recommendations for future strategy

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Background to the research The relationship between driving and alcohol remains an on-going issue for everyone involved in road safety For all the education and enforcement activity taking place every year, annual statistics continue to record accidents involving drivers with illegal alcohol levels, and the police continue to detect drink-drivers on the roads The first major study into drinking and driving in Scotland was conducted by System Three in 2001 This survey was repeated in 2007, to identify any changes in the prevalence and incidence of drinking and driving since 2001 In conjunction with this, a qualitative phase was conducted among some specific target groups who drive after drinking, to provide insight to inform future communication strategies on this issue

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Method and sample

Quantitative

a random probability sample of 1034 current drivers interviewed in home across Scotland using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) for data collection, with self completion on to laptops for confidentiality on sensitive questions relating to drinking and driving

Qualitative

a series of 6 focus groups among people who have recently driven after consuming alcohol 4 in-depth interviews with recent over-the-limit drivers (self defined) 2 in-depth interviews with recently disqualified drivers

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Quantitative Survey among Drivers - Progress since 2001

Prevalence of driving after drinking alcohol in past 12 months

6 2001 37 2007 0 10 25 20

%

30 40 50

Prevalence of driving after drinking alcohol in past 12 months, by gender and age

GENDER Male 43 28 30 Female 21 AGE 17-29 30-44 45-59 60+ 0 10 21 29 20 20

%

26 28 30 34 40 40 41 2001 2007 50 7

Incidence of driving after drinking alcohol in past 12 months per 100 drivers

8 2001 229 2007 0 50 100

%

150 154 200 250

Incidence of driving after drinking alcohol in past 12 months per 100 drivers, by gender and age

9 314 Male Female 126 114 192 2001 2007 17-29 30-44 45-59 60+ 0 100 106 126 242 149 157 154 177 200

%

256 300 400 500

Prevalence of drink-driving in last 12 months

10 2001 5 2007 0 5 10

%

20 30

Prevalence of drink-driving in last 12 months, by gender and age

Male Female 3 3 7 8 2001 2007 17-29 30-44 45-59 60+ 0 2 2 3 5 6 7 9 9 10

%

20 30 11

Incidence of drink-driving in last 12 months per 100 drivers

12 2001 19 2007 0 10 11 20

%

30 40 50

Summing up key quantitative findings Both the prevalence and incidence of driving shortly after drinking alcohol has declined significantly since 2001 The decline in prevalence is apparent across all age groups This indicates that more people are more conscious that driving and alcohol don’t mix – progress has been made!

However the

prevalence

of drink-driving has remained static – albeit that the

incidence

has declined since 2001 There remains a hard core of drivers, including older, who have yet to be convinced that drinking and driving is simply not acceptable

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Qualitative Insight from the Drinking Drivers

What is drink-driving?

Generally associated with being significantly over the limit, rather than borderline Irresponsible behaviour by those clearly aware of their actions

Not

negatively associated with having a couple of drinks and then driving, even if may be marginally over the limit A factor in: the extent to which ‘minor’ offenders do not regard themselves as drink drivers the level of personal identification (or not) with drink-driving communications

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Issue: how we talk about / present drink-driving cases in communications

So what is the limit anyway?

Widespread claimed confusion over what is allowed / legal limit Most commonly assessed on the number of drinks, with 2 the norm A personal ‘safe limit’, even if acknowledged as potentially borderline legally General criticism of the lack of guidance or guidelines Tendency to err on the side of risk rather than caution Assessing situation the morning after even more problematic

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Issue: removing some of the uncertainty around legal driving limits

Who drinks and drives?

A common perception that drink-driving is more prolific among younger drinkers Are young drivers the most prolific, or simply the most conspicuous?

Potentially a hard core of habitual drink-drivers among the middle-aged and older less extreme in their behaviour less accepting that doing anything wrong less likely to be reached by current communications

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Issue: targeting of activity and communications to address different sub-groups

Why drink and drive?

Essentially because they think they can, with relative safety and impunity Little evidence of any real assessment of risk at the point of driving Killing somebody else identified, rationally, as the main risk / concern: historically the main focus of communications In reality, rarely a consideration at the time – simply won’t happen!

Potential damage to others a major factor in strengthening perceptions of the social unacceptability of drinking and driving among the wider population, but little effect on the habitual offenders

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What might deter?

At the point of driving, the decision is primarily self-centred Hence the greatest potential risk / threat is getting caught and losing licence Recognised in current television campaign strategy However the implications of getting caught are not fully realised

Everything hinges on the level of perceived risk of getting caught

Currently a very low perceived risk!

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Issue: to increase significantly the perceived risk of getting caught Issue: to heighten awareness of the penalties and consequences of this

Recommendations for Future Strategy

Drink drivers just do not take their conduct seriously enough. We need to increase the fear factor, as driven by the perceived likelihood of getting caught and the full implications of this

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Increasing the perceived risk of getting caught Ideally, more evidence of police on the roads to detect drink-drivers Introduction of random testing or suggestion of more random approach would also significantly increase the perceived risk More that can be done in communications: publish the numbers breathalysed rather than caught publicise monthly to stress on-going activity, rather than periodic publicise on a local level, through local press, for immediate relevance talk up the numbers caught as a success rather than failure of the campaign

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Clarifying the legal limit A case for lowering the legal limit, less on grounds of safety, and more for guidance on what

might

be acceptable / legal: a level above 1 drink for some slight leeway, but clearly below 2 drinks Allows greater certainty that 2 drinks is too much In communications: publicise that 2 drinks are almost certain to be over the limit more case studies of ‘everyday’ drivers caught slightly over, rather than the extremes

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Changing the attitudes of the drink-drivers Challenge the belief of habitual drink drivers that what they do is ‘okay’ by: re-positioning from socially unacceptable to

a criminal act

Spell out not just the penalty – automatic 12 months ban at least – but also the

consequences

of getting caught: a criminal record, and what this entails the financial costs the emotional costs

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Targeting different types of drink-driver Drink-driving is an issue across the demographic spectrum ‘One message fits all’ approach allows some to disassociate Needs to be reflected in more targeted activity / messages directed at specific sub-groups e.g.: for younger, loss of car, independence for 30-40s, effect on career, family for older and up-market, stigma of criminal record Opportunity for targeting by outlet type, in pubs, clubs etc.

Taking the fight to the drink-drivers who are over-confident that they can defy the law.

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Getting to the Drinking Driver – a research presentation

Chris Eynon, TNS System Three Scottish Road Safety Annual Seminar 2007 25 th October 2007

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