Profile analysis of persons arrested for drunk driving.

Abstract

The characteristics of persons arrested for drunk driving during the last three years in Kansas City, Missouri, were analyzed to provide a profile of the drunk driver. It was found that the profile was associated with both the disposition of the arrest and the sentence and referral when the defendant was found guilty. The profile of arrested drivers was compared with the profile of drivers who were judged to be culpable in alcohol-related fatal crashes and the profile of drunk drivers interviewed in roadside surveys. The analyses showed that each was distinct from the other two. The young drinking driver was found to be over-represented in alcohol-related fatal crashes and under-represented in arrests. New or revised programs need to be developed to prevent the involvement of young drinking drivers in fatal crashes.