Deterring Alcohol-Impaired Driving - A Comparative Analysis of Compliance in Norway and the United States

• NCJ Number: 102003
• Journal: Justice Quarterly Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1986) Pages: 139-165
• Date Published: 1986
• Author(s): J R Snortum; R Hauge; D E Berger
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): 82-IJ-CX-0059
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis

Annotation

National probability samples of licensed drivers in the United States (N = 1,000) and Norway (N=1,012) revealed higher levels of legal knowledge, moral commitment, and drinking-driving compliance for Norwegians than Americans.

Abstract

Previous causal analysis has failed to demonstrate the deterrent effectiveness of tough Scandinavian drinking-driving laws. In contrast to earlier research which examined legal threat as the sole determinant of control (simple deterrence), the present investigation was more broadly construed to include a range of other social and psychological influences (general deterrence). The findings tend to support Andenaes' theory of general prevention, and they raise fundamental questions about treating law as a simple intervention which is wholly amenable to causal analysis. Tables and approximately 50 references. (Author abstract)