One false move: A singular account of multiple outcomes arising from drink‐driving

Abstract

To deconstruct a personal account involving the initial decision making and ultimate consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol to educate drinkers about the realities of short- and long-term impacts associated with drink-driving. This qualitative study uses collaborative methods and draws on an autoethnographic (n=1) account to identify multiple challenges and outcomes arising from a singular drink-driving incident. Findings document how the split-second decision to drink and drive can give rise to unforeseen, ongoing and complex problems associated with injuries and pain management, the legal system, personal and professional costs, social isolation and shame. Many believe that driving ability is only affected if an individual is drunk, and that the ramifications of low-range drinking (blood alcohol concentration greater than 0.05 and less than 0.07) and driving are minimal and avoidable. This personal account emphasises the stark realities associated with such naïve perceptions, particularly among young males, and augments efforts to dissuade drivers from drinking. SO WHAT?: The experiential insights within this narrative account have the potential to help inform peer education programs and contribute to reductions in youth road trauma and associated injuries.