Fitts, Michelle S., Palk, Gavan R., Lennon, Alexia J., and Clough, Alan R. (2017) The characteristics of young Indigenous drink drivers in Queensland, Australia. Traffic Injury Prevention, 18 (3). pp. 237-243.

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Abstract

Objective: This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of first drink driving convictions among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians (aged from 14–24) and considers some of the risk factors associated with recidivism.

Methods: Convictions recorded between 2006 and 2013 were extracted from the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General database. Convictions were regrouped by gender, age, Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia classification and sentence severity. Chi-square analyses and logistic regression were conducted to identify group differences in offence characteristics for gender and recidivism (recidivists versus non-recidivists).

Results: The sample consisted of 1,583 individuals (74.1% males) convicted in the eight-period. Gender comparisons showed that there was no significant difference in age at time of first offence, BAC level at apprehension or in the type of penalty received between males and females. However, males received a larger fines and longer periods of licence disqualification. Comparisons for re-offending and non-reoffending revealed that males, drivers aged 14–17 years of age and 18 to 20 years of age, and 'inner regional' drivers were more likely to re-offend.

Conclusions: There were limited differences between females and males, or recidivists and non-recidivists at first conviction. Convictions for drink driving may provide an opportunity for early alcohol intervention with Indigenous young drivers (<20 years) as it is likely to be an individual's the first alcohol-related conviction.

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