Citation

Votey HL. J. Crim. Justice 1984; 12(2): 115-130.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0047-2352(84)90025-4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper suggests that the apparently observed initial success of legislation to control drunken driving accidents by law enforcement and sanctions, followed by a return of accident levels to initial trends may be an artifact of failure to properly model the accident process. The point is illustrated by simulating a model of accidents in which drunken driving is controllable with a change in laws. It shows that this control effect can easily be swamped by other plausible accident inducing forces. Finally, it is argued that the cost of failing to maintain efforts to control drunken driving may be greater than the social costs of maintaining high enforcement levels and stiff penalties.