Most people recognize the dangers of driving after drinking alcohol. But do drivers view drug driving the same way? New research suggests they do not. A study published in the Journal of Criminology found that drivers perceive driving after drinking and drugged driving differently, and those perceptions may influence their willingness to engage in these risky behaviors.
The Study
Researchers surveyed 546 licensed drivers who reported having used both alcohol and illicit drugs. The study explored how legal factors, such as the likelihood of being caught, and non-legal factors, such as guilt and fear of causing harm, influence intentions to drink and drive and to drive under the influence of drugs.
Drivers Are More Likely to Consider Drugged Driving
One of the study’s most notable findings was that participants reported a higher likelihood of drugged driving than drinking and driving. Researchers found that drivers generally believed they were less likely to be caught for drugged driving and were more likely to have previously avoided punishment for it.
This perception matters. The study found that individuals who had successfully avoided detection in the past were more likely to report intentions to continue both drinking and driving and drugged driving in the future.
Perceived Risk Is Different
Participants viewed drinking and driving as carrying greater consequences than drugged driving. Specifically, they were more likely to believe that drinking and driving could harm others and were more likely to associate it with feelings of guilt or personal responsibility.
In contrast, drugged driving was perceived as less risky overall. These findings may reflect years of public education campaigns highlighting the dangers of alcohol-impaired driving, while drug-impaired driving has received less attention.
Enforcement Still Matters
The research found that the perceived likelihood of being caught and the perceived severity of punishment were significant deterrents to drugged driving. Drivers who believed they would be caught or face serious consequences were less likely to report intentions to drive under the influence of drugs.
Interestingly, these same legal deterrents did not have the same impact on drinking and driving intentions, possibly because alcohol-impaired driving enforcement has been established for decades and is already well understood by most drivers.
Lessons for Road Safety Professionals
The findings suggest that increasing the visibility of drugged driving enforcement may help deter drivers. High-profile roadside testing operations, public awareness campaigns, and media coverage of enforcement efforts could strengthen perceptions that drugged driving is likely to be detected.
The study also points to the need for stronger messaging around the real-world consequences of drug-impaired driving. Efforts that emphasize the risks of injury, harm to others, and social consequences may help shift attitudes and reduce risky driving behaviors.
The Bottom Line
While drinking and driving and drugged driving are both dangerous, drivers do not necessarily view them through the same lens. This study found that drugged driving is often perceived as less risky and less likely to result in punishment, which may contribute to greater willingness to engage in the behavior. Strengthening both enforcement visibility and public education may be key to changing those perceptions and improving roadway safety.
Source:
Truelove, V., Davey, B., & Watson-Brown, N. (2023). Examining the differences in perceived legal and non-legal factors between drink driving and drug driving. Journal of Criminology, 56(1), 59-77.
