Journal article
I know, but I don’t care : how awareness of Queensland’s drug driving testing methods impact upon perceptions of deterrence and offending behaviours
Modern Traffic and Transportation Engineering Research, Vol.3(1), pp.7-13
2014
Abstract
An increasing body of research is highlighting the involvement of illicit drugs in many road fatalities. Deterrence theory has been a core conceptual framework underpinning traffic enforcement as well as interventions designed to reduce road fatalities. Essentially the effectiveness of deterrence-based approaches is predicated on perceptions of certainty, severity, and swiftness of apprehension. However, much less is known about how the awareness of legal sanctions can impact upon the effectiveness of deterrence mechanisms and whether promoting such detection methods can increase the deterrent effect. Nevertheless, the implicit assumption is that individuals aware of the legal sanctions will be more deterred. This study seeks to explore how awareness of the testing method impacts upon the effectiveness of deterrence-based interventions and intentions to drug drive again in the future. In total, 161 participants who reported drug driving in the previous six months took part in the current study. The results show that awareness of testing had a small effect upon increasing perceptions of the certainty of apprehension and severity of punishment. However, awareness was not a significant predictor of intentions to drug drive again in the future. Importantly, higher levels of drug use were a significant predictor of intentions to drug drive in the future. Whilst awareness does have a small effect on deterrence variables, the influence of levels of drug use seems to reduce any deterrent effect.
Details
- Title
- I know, but I don’t care : how awareness of Queensland’s drug driving testing methods impact upon perceptions of deterrence and offending behaviours
- Authors
- Christopher N Watling (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyJames E Freeman (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyJeremy D Davey (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
- Publication details
- Modern Traffic and Transportation Engineering Research, Vol.3(1), pp.7-13
- Publisher
- American V-King Scientific Publishing
- ISSN
- 2304-9405
- Organisation Unit
- Road Safety Research Collaboration; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; School of Law and Society; Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99451347502621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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