Existing DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) Enforcement-Oriented Public Communications Themes and Materials

摘要

This report provides some of the preliminary findings of a study on combined enforcement/public communications strategies for the general deterrence of DWI that might be of use for State/local highway safety planners, public communications specialists, and others interested in the perceived risk/fear of arrest approach to reducing DWI. The general deterrence approach has perhaps the best potential for reducing the deaths and injuries resulting from drunk driving because it attempts to affect alarge target population-the potential drinking driver. An essential element of achieving a general deterrent effect is to raise the driving public 's perception of the risk of arrest and subsequent sanctioning. If this perceived risk is raised to a high enough level, presumably potential drinking drivers will alter their drinking and driving behavior in order to avoid the consequences of being arrested and sanctioned for DWI.