The Essay Explores The Impact Of Preventive Alcohol Checks On Drink-driving Rates.

What Effect Does Conducting Preventive Alcohol Checks Have On The Number Of People Who Drive After Drinking?

The topic presents brief explanation about the preventive alcohol checks and its impacts on the people who drive vehicles after drinking. Based on the evidences related to the increased numbers of accidents in the past few years, the major cause had been drinking and driving. The topic will illustrate about the various aspects related to the control checks’ impact on the people who drive after drinking. The various questions will be assessed to understand the treatment groups selected randomly along with the impact of control checks integrated for ensuring that the occurrence of accidents decrease and the traffic is managed properly (Palinkas et al. 2015).

The background of the research demonstrates the accidents that have been occurring for the past few years as people drive their cars after consuming alcohol. It has been a major problem, not only for the traffic but also the accidents take the lives of many people. It is important to shed light on the fact that the groups who are affected the most due to this issue are the individuals who consume alcohol and drive their cars. The preventive alcohol checks can ensure that the police stop the cars and check whether they have consumed alcohol or not (Bryman and Bell 2015). In case they are drunk, they should be penalized or even given some kind of punishment so that the same thing does not happen again and the occurrence of accidents are reduced to a large extent.

Yes, the assignment to the treatment groups are truly random and it is quite clear that the random selection of candidates has helped in understanding that driving after having drinks is one of the major causes of accidents. According to the random selection and treatment of groups, it is also found that the drinking driving has contributed to the large proportion of the traffic accidents. The effects of alcohol on drivers are immense and it affects the driving performance too (Ritchie et al. 2013). The assignment to treatment groups on a random manner helped in collecting data and information related to the subjective feelings and driving performance in different blood alcohol concentration levels. Not only the consumption of alcohol affects the behaviors of individuals, but also their perception, reaction and controlling the vehicles tend to change, which has increased the higher rate of accidents. It was not only considered as a major threat to traffic safety but also created issues while driving the vehicles (Meesmann, Martensen and Dupont 2015). 

Treatment Groups

The participants were not blinded to treatment allocation, because they should be informed about the causes of accidents and even the outcomes that might be generated while driving after drinking. The allocation of treatment procedures could not only reduce the occurrence of accidents, but also would enable conducting the preventive alcohol checks so that people can stop to drive after drinking. It was found that the consumption of alcohol impaired the driving skills and increases the chances or risks of accidents, which could cause serious injuries and even sometimes death. The alcohol impaired driving accidents contribute to large numbers of deaths of people as well as animals like kangaroos in Australia. It is approximately 30 percent of the traffic fatalities in Australia (Erickson et al. 2013).

The allocation of treatment group was not hidden from the allocator because it is important to inform them about the topic regarding the preventive alcohol checks for the individuals who drink and drive. It can make them understand about the ill effects of being drunk while driving. The allocation to treatment groups must not be concealed from the allocator for ensuring that the individuals are educated and informed about the drunk driving laws, rules and regulation. Once they are found to drive after drinking, they should be penalized and considered as violating the laws and traffic rules (Labeit, Peinemann and Baker 2013). 

While analyzing the data and information, it was found that the responses provided by some of the people already left. Still their responses were considered as useful data required for analyzing the various aspects of the topic and delivering an appropriate conclusion. The outcomes of people clearly showed that the consumption of alcohol affected the cognition level, attention, reaction, judgment and hindered successful utilization of the driver’s skills including the braking behavior, vision and speed control. Few of the outcomes of people demonstrated the fact that the alcohol consumption affected the visual performance of the individuals and it became difficult for them to control the vehicles, which could be the major causes of accidents (Chinman et al. 2014).

The responses were mainly positive and many of the people agreed to the fact that they were blind to the treatment allocation. The individuals who assessed the outcomes discriminated the drinking driving based o the riving performance. The drivers must be engaged in simulation driving at the BAC levels for ensuring that drinking level could be minimized and the driving performance could be improved. It would be important to assess the signatures of diver’s subjective feelings after consuming alcohol and determine the effects of drink driving at BAC levels (Chang et al. 2013).

Data Analysis

The control and treatment groups were not comparable at entry, because of which, the cases of accidents due to drinking driving kept on increasing. The young individuals who drink and drive are recorded as higher than the older drivers. Though most of them have valid driver license and regular driving habits, still they are subjected to some kinds of harms caused due to rash driving or being unable to control the vehicles after consuming alcohol. The control and treatment groups are not similar, because the roles are different and so controlling the preventive checks and treating the individuals who are found drunk while driving are not similar and can be compared easily at entry (Clifford, Doran and Tsey 2013).

The groups were treated in a similar manner just like the other named interventions, which helped in managing the collection of data regarding the issues faced. During the conduction of preventive alcohol checks, it was found that every participant was required to visit randomly for balancing the order effects on the drivers. The individuals taking part in the checking process must sleep well and do not consume any kinds of stimulating food or beverage. After conducting the checks, they should be provided with practical training to practice driving and become familiarized with the simulator control and adjust with the road where they would be driving accordingly (Livingston 2013).

The outcomes were measured in the same manner for all the groups and it showed that by conducting the preventive alcohol checks would ensure preventing the occurrence of accidents largely as well as make people aware of the negative impacts of drinking driving. People would become more aware and make sure that alcoholic beverages were prevented to an extent before driving.

Yes the outcomes were measured in a reliable way, because the responses obtained in the form of data had been collected from the respondents who had been experienced drivers (Mathews, Thorn and Giorgi 2013).

The statistical analysis should be done by using the SPSS tool and MS Excel sheet for representing the data and information in graphical formats, tables for easy understanding.

The results mean that the preventive alcohol checks have created a positive impact on the people who drive after drinking. It has not only penalized them for rash driving and small accidents caused due to drinking driving, but also made them aware of the effects that might be caused. It has reduced the occurrence of accidents to a certain extent in Australia and even made people more cautious about not driving after consuming alcohol (Terer and Brown 2014).

Results

The results are real, because all the responses are obtained from the individuals who may have been the victims of such incidents or are aware of the driving related accidents that may be caused due to drinking driving. The responses should be monitored to make any necessary changes or improvements that could be helpful for managing the research topic effectively and with much ease and effectiveness.

The results are relevant and appropriate considering the fact that many people have believed the fact and have been cautious about not consuming alcohol before driving. The preventive alcohol checks have created have also created awareness among people and it resulted in making choices that are convenient and safe for people while driving (Palinkas et al. 2015).

Conclusion

The topic focused on the effects that were caused while conducting preventive alcohol checks on the people who drink after driving. From the questions, the responses were mainly positive and it showed that the outcomes were appropriate and the randomly people were selected to make sure that unbiased responses were provided. It also made the people more cautious about not having alcohol before driving because it might have certain negative impacts like blurred vision, lack of vehicle control, which were considered as the major causes of accidents in Australia.

References

Bryman, A. and Bell, E., 2015. Business research methods. Oxford University Press, USA.

Chang, L.Y., Lin, D.J., Huang, C.H. and Chang, K.K., 2013. Analysis of contributory factors for driving under the influence of alcohol: A stated choice approach. Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour, 18, pp.11-20.

Chinman, M., Ebener, P., Burkhart, Q., Osilla, K.C., Imm, P., Paddock, S.M. and Wright, P.A., 2014. Evaluating the impact of getting to outcomes–underage drinking on prevention capacity and alcohol merchant attitudes and selling behaviors. Prevention science, 15(4), pp.485-496.

Clifford, A.C., Doran, C.M. and Tsey, K., 2013. A systematic review of suicide prevention interventions targeting indigenous peoples in Australia, United States, Canada and New Zealand. BMC public health, 13(1), p.463.

Erickson, D.J., Smolenski, D.J., Toomey, T.L., Carlin, B.P. and Wagenaar, A.C., 2013. Do alcohol compliance checks decrease underage sales at neighboring establishments?. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 74(6), pp.852-858.

Labeit, A., Peinemann, F. and Baker, R., 2013. Utilisation of preventative health check-ups in the UK: findings from individual-level repeated cross-sectional data from 1992 to 2008. BMJ open, 3(12), p.e003387.

Livingston, M., 2013. To reduce alcohol?related harm we need to look beyond pubs and nightclubs. Drug and alcohol review, 32(2), pp.113-114.

Mathews, R., Thorn, M. and Giorgi, C., 2013. Vested interests in addiction research and policy. Is the alcohol industry delaying government action on alcohol health warning labels in Australia?. Addiction, 108(11), pp.1889-1896.

Meesmann, U., Martensen, H. and Dupont, E., 2015. Impact of alcohol checks and social norm on driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Accident Analysis & Prevention, 80, pp.251-261.

Palinkas, L.A., Horwitz, S.M., Green, C.A., Wisdom, J.P., Duan, N. and Hoagwood, K., 2015. Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), pp.533-544.

Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C.M. and Ormston, R. eds., 2013. Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage.

Terer, K. and Brown, R., 2014. Effective drink driving prevention and enforcement strategies: Approaches to improving practice. Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice, (472), p.1.