Making sense of risk: Young Estonians drink-driving

Abstract

In Estonia, young people driving under the influence of alcohol is an issue of social concern. In 2009, half of the intoxicated drivers who were involved in traffic accidents were under the age of 30. To understand the phenomenon in a wider perspective, the motives and reasons behind drink-driving need to be understood.The aim of this article is to analyse the phenomenon from the perspective of people who have been involved in, but not charged for, drink-driving. The research is based on open-ended interviews and focus groups with young people from rural and urban areas in Estonia. The analysis from the perspective of these ‘unintentional’ drink-drivers aims to explore the neutralization techniques that they employed. Drawing on the neutralization theory, the article looks at the kinds of neutralization techniques are used by young adults in Estonia to legitimize and justify the behaviour that they consider risky and socially unacceptable. The outcomes of this study can be used to develop strategies and prevention messages, which could help change behaviour and attitudes and prevent unintentional drink-drivers from becoming recidivistic ones. The findings suggest that policy and practice should seriously take into account the neutralization technique that draws a distinction between being tipsy and being drunk.