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CHAPTER 8: DESISTANCE OF, AND PREVENTING DRUG DRIVING
Objectives
The objectives of this chapter are to:
- consider those in the survey who no longer drug drive ( i.e. have drug driven "ever" but not in the past 12 months)
- identify key characteristics of this group from the survey and identify possible reasons why these people have stopped from the depth interviews
- discuss the different options covered in the depth interviews for preventing drug driving
Key Findings
Survey
Those who no longer drug drive were more likely to be with a partner than those who have drug driven in the last year.
Depth interviews
Increased responsibilities and the implications for getting caught were the main reasons given for no longer drug driving.
The effectiveness of different strategies for preventing drug driving was discussed.
- advertising campaigns were thought to be a possibility by some but others thought they would have little effect
- education was also felt to be a possibility, especially if it was targeted at younger age groups
- the most effective prevention strategy was felt to be increasing the risk of getting caught, either by increasing police presence or introducing more reliable roadside testing.
A common theme throughout was that it would be almost impossible to prevent problem drug users from drug driving through these means. However, it was felt that targeting recreational users may be more successful.
Desistance of drug driving
Survey respondents who had ceased drug driving were identified as those who said they had ever drug driven but had not done so in the previous 12 months (N = 30). This group was then compared with those who had drug driven in the previous year on the key variables of sex, age, marital status, driving frequency and sensation seeking scores.
The greatest difference between these groups relates to their living/marital status. Of those who do not drug drive any more, 19% are single and 81% have a partner. This is compared with the respondents who said they had drug driven in the last year, of which 73% are single and 27% have a partner. This suggests that rather than the desistance of drug driving being related to age, it is related to broader changes in people's personal circumstances.
This also became evident during the depth interviews. Recreational drug users who had driven while impaired by drugs in the past reported that they would not drug drive now because of their increased responsibilities and the implications of getting caught.
No, ah wouldn't do it now because ah think ma circumstances are different. Ah'm obviously married and ah've got ma own house and ah've got an awful lot more to lose and the consequences are obviously a lot higher than what they were when ah was nineteen or twenty. When ah was around twenty ah was going out, ah was only interested in……ah was a student, going out, having a great time and going home and having enough money to go out, that was probably……yeah, ma circumstances were just different.
Recreational drug user
This indicates that one possible point of action would be to highlight the amount that people stand to lose if caught drug driving.
Campaigns to prevent drug driving
During the depth interviews, participants were asked what they thought could be done to prevent drug driving. Overall, it was felt that it would be very difficult to prevent drug driving. For the recreational users, drug driving is far more convenient than using any other form of transport and most of the users do not believe they are a risk to themselves or others. The problem drug users were even less likely to be deterred because their need for drugs takes precedence over everything else.
If you've got a habit, ken, you cannae jist drop it. You've got tae still take it every day. So if people drive, they're still gonnae drive, ken what ah mean.
Problem drug user
Nevertheless, three main ideas for prevention were discussed, although opinions on the likely success of these varied. These were advertising campaigns, education and increasing the likelihood of getting caught.
Hard-hitting advertising campaigns were thought to have had a degree of success in preventing drunk-driving. As well as reducing the prevalence of drunk driving, they were attributed with attaching a social stigma to this activity. The recreational drug users were generally more positive about using similar advertising campaigns for drug driving than the problem drug users, although they still had their reservations. Some felt that campaigns that make people aware of the dangers of drug driving may be effective. However, it was also felt that there needs to be more emphasis on showing the reality of the culture of drug driving. If people were shown adverts that depict 'realistic' situations with which they can relate, they are more likely to take notice and believe that the advert applies to them.
Ah don't see why the adverts where you see the wee girl crushed up against the tree, why that advert can't be for drug driving as well because the consequences can be the same for drug driving so, you know, I don't see why there needs to be a difference in the advertising, it's just a different substance they're taking, the outcome can be the same.
Recreational drug user
It depends how it shows it. If it's someone who's blatantly out of their face then yeah. If it's someone who's just been in a café or someone's house and had a smoke or whatever and then is driving home totally fit to drive then no.
…But if he looks like we look now and he's driving along and then it shows….smash….oh he smokes cannabis or whatever then no.
Recreational drug user
The problem drug users were almost unanimous in their belief that media or poster campaigns could not achieve any significant reduction in the prevalence of drug driving. Again, this comes back to the point that this group are so focussed on getting their next hit that they would do anything to gain that, including drive while impaired. However, it was noted that some adverts, particularly those that show children, can have an impact on them, although this is often short-lived.
I mean if I had watched something like that back when I was injecting it just would've gone straight over the top of my head. I wouldn't have taken it in at all.
Problem drug user
Like a heroin addict right, if he's sitting there withdrawing, there's nothing that's gonnae stop him from driving to wherever he's got tae go tae. For a heroin addict ah honestly cannae see an advert that would convert somebody not tae drive.
Problem drug user
Well, when you see things on the telly where there are weans involved, I think that is quite hard hitting. It hits a nerve and you think tae yourself, how would you feel if that happened tae ye, you know, but it's soon forgotten. It's no long-lastin', it soon goes oot your mind.
Problem drug user
Many of the recreational and problem drug users felt that prevention through education would be effective. In addition to teaching about the dangers of drug driving, such education programmes could also teach children about the impact of drugs in general. It was particularly important to both groups of drug user that this education should be aimed at a young age group so that they could be targeted before they start learning to drive.
Every time there seems to be a problem people always talk about education. But you know people are learning to drive and getting their driving licenses when they're still at school so why not maybe as part of their school, you know, bring this kind of thing into schools as well, you know, maybe fifth or sixth years, or four even, whatever.
Recreational drug user
They should start teaching them a lot earlier in school because it's no' until they get tae near secondary school that they get anythin' like that at all. They should be doin' more in schools for kids at a younger age, primary school kids.
Problem drug user
Having said this, both recreational and problem drug users felt that advertising the issue or targeting the young would be of little use if it was not backed up with effective detection and prosecution of drug drivers. Many felt that a more concerted effort to increase police presence on the roads and the introduction of an effective and reliable roadside test would be successful deterrents: people would know that there was a realistic possibility that they would get caught. For the recreational drug users, in particular, getting caught would be embarrassing and could have significant impact on their lives. In contrast, the overwhelming view among the problem drug users was that it would be unlikely to have much effect upon them as they have less to lose.
I think they could be used (campaigns) but I think the best way to stop it is direct action on the roads, more police on the roads. I think that would be the best way to go about it, it is going to shock people, especially like myself. It is going to shock people into realising what they are doing. I don't know if television campaigns would really do that so much. I don't know.
Recreational drug user
Because you get completely and utterly paranoid. You --- yourself when you see a policeman. I also think that just the embarrassment of getting stopped and been steered into the side of the road and getting breathalysed and all that.
Recreational drug user
Their [problem drug users] necessity for the drugs is more what they would be bothered about rather than getting stopped. It's a chance they would take but for the clubbers and that, a lot of them are working so they have a lot to lose if they lose their licence. It would be a lot of inconvenience.
Problem drug user
It is clear from these discussions that preventing problem drug users from drug driving is a major challenge. Only two of the problem drug users interviewed indicated that there was any possibility that they would be deterred. Even so, one of these felt that actually preventing the driving was impossible - it was stopping the drug use that should be targeted. For the other, more effective tests and a greater chance of detection was felt to act as a deterrent.
I dinnae ken what they should do. I think they need tae tackle the drugs first before they can worry about stopping people driving eh
Problem drug user
As ah say if ah kin get there in an hour compared tae 3 hours then ah'll jump in a motor. Obviously, if there is a bigger threat o' getting caught ah wid certainly think two or three times before daen it. When ah get in that motor the noo tae drive through there, the chances o' me getting' caught are pretty slight but the higher that chance goes o' me getting caught then the less the chance is that ah will drive because ah don't want tae get caught. The greater the risk o' getting caught then the less the risk o' me daen it.
Problem drug user
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