About the Project

Who Are Hardcore Drunk Drivers?

While there is a growing recognition of the magnitude of the problem that these individuals present, there is, as yet, no single accepted definition of hardcore drunk drivers. At one level, there is considerable agreement on the general characteristics and behavior of this group,but researchers have struggled with developing an explicit, operational definition. At the state and local levels, this type of offender may be variouslydescribed as repeat, chronic, habitual,aggravated, or persistent,among other terms.

To foster a common perspective and to minimize misunderstanding, it is necessary to go beyond general characteristics and provide a more precise, functional definition. In this context, we define "hardcore drunk drivers" as individuals who drive with a high blood alcoholconcentration (BAC) of .15 or above, who do so repeatedly, as demonstrated by having more than one drunk driving arrest, and who are highly resistant to changing their behavior despite previous sanctions, treatment, or education efforts.

We recognize that this definition excludes first offenders with a high BACand those who repeatedly drive at high BAC levels who have yet to be arrested. Both may legitimately be considered hardcore by other definitions. However, every definition may be to some extent arbitrary, and in choosing this one, we identify a group about whom there will be no confusion.

High BACs

While hardcore offenders constitute a relatively small number of drivers, they account for a disproportionately large share of drunk driving problems. For example, it is estimated that while drivers with BACs in excess of .15 are only 1% of all drivers on weekend nights, they are involved in nearly 50% of all fatal crashes at that time. In the United States in 1995, almost one-third (27%) of all fatally injured drivers had BACs in excess of .15, and they represent almost two-thirds (65%) of all fatally injured drivers who had been drinking.¹

Hardcore drunk drivers are not those who consume alcohol in moderation and who respect the limits of the law. Hardcore drunk drivers are irresponsible, reckless, and abnormal in their drinking patterns and subsequent behavior on the road. To reach a BAC of .15, a man weighing 176 pounds would have to consume seven drinks in one hour. Drivers with a BAC of .15 or above are over 200 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than the average non-drinking driver.¹

Repeat Behavior

Research has demonstrated a strong relationship between a high BAC and the likelihood of having a previous driving-while-intoxicated DWI) conviction. The 1995 Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) data show that previous DWI convictions increase in direct correlation with increases in BAC. For example, only 1.7% of non-drinking drivers had a prior DWI conviction compared to 12% of those with BACs of .15 to .19. This percentage increases to 16% for those with a BAC of .20 or above.¹

Estimates indicate that at least 35 to 40% of fatally injured drinking drivers had a prior DWI conviction.¹ Looking more specifically at those fatally injured drinking drivers with previous DWIs, 80% had BACs of .15 and over and almost 60% had BACs of .20 and over. These estimates are conservative based on limited reporting data.

Because the risk of apprehension for drinking and driving is relatively low (estimates range from 1 in 200 trips in high enforcement areas to 1 in 2,000 in others), some — probably many — hardcore drunk drivers go undetected and aren’t reflected in any statistics.

Resistant to Change Hardcore drunk drivers are highly resistant to changing their behavior. That resistance often is characterized by repeat DWI convictions despite the public’s disdain, previous sanctions, education, or treatment. Approximately 30% of all drinking drivers arrested for DWI have already been caught in the past by the police and sanctioned by judicial and administrative agencies.² While the number of drivers involved in alcohol-related traffic fatalities has declined 32% in the past ten years (from 20,702 in 1986 to 14,158 in 1996), there has been considerably less improvement in the record of the hardcore drunk driver. ^{3 , 4}

To illustrate, in 1986, 41% of fatally injured drivers in the age group of 25 to 45 had BACs in excess of .15. In 1996, this had declined by only 10%.

Recurrent Characteristics

Hardcore drunk drivers are not a homogeneous group. A variety of problems, issues, and situations leads to their drinking and driving behavior. Although they are demographically diverse, the majority are men (some studies show an increasing proportion of women) between the ages of 25 and 45.

Research also has found that, compared to all drivers, hardcore offenders often are more aggressive, hostile, and thrill-seeking. They are more likely to have a criminal record, to use drugs, and to have poor driving records.¹ But perhaps most telling is their pattern of alcohol-related problems. Compared with first-time, driving-under-the-influence DUI) arrests, 83% of whom never have a second conviction,⁵ repeat offenders tend to have higher rates of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, more frequent non-traffic criminal offenses, and more severe mental health problems.⁶In addition, some studies suggest that there may be two types of hardcore recidivists: (1) individuals who are basically inclined to conform to the legal system, but have a severe alcohol abuse problem; and (2) individuals who are basically not inclined to conform to the legal system, for whom alcohol abuse is just one of an array of antisocial behaviors.⁵