Young People, Alcohol and Driving in Two Australian States

Authors

Wendy Loxley, Curtin University of Technology
Sing Kai Lo, Curtin University of Technology
Ross J. Homel, Macquarie University
Dale E. Berger, Claremont Graduate UniversityFollow
John R. Snortum, Claremont McKenna College

Document Type

Article

Department

Behavioral and Organizational Sciences (CGU)

Publication Date

1992

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Road traffic accidents are the single largest cause of death in Australia among people aged 15–24. The proposition that a broadly based deterrence measure, such as random breath testing (RBT), would be sufficient to change the behavior of young drivers was tested in a comparison of young drivers in New South Wales (NSW), which has had RBT for 6 years, with young drivers in Western Australia (WA), where there was no RBT. The results demonstrated that NSW young drivers were less likely to drink and drive and more likely to believe their peers would disapprove of drink-driving than were their counterparts in WA. It was concluded that RBT had altered the drink-driving behavior and possibly the beliefs about drink-driving of young people in NSW.

Rights Information

© 1992 Informa Plc

DOI

10.3109/10826089209047338

Recommended Citation

Loxley, W., Lo, S. K., Homel, R., Berger, D. E., & Snortum, J. R. (1992). Young People, Alcohol and Driving in Two Australian States. International Journal of Addictions, 27(9), 339-348.