Drunk-driving convictions may benefit some drinkers, study says

Many people who are arrested for driving drunk are able to chalk up the experience as a one-time mistake and never drink and drive again. But for others, a drunk driving arrest is a sign of a much bigger problem for which they require extensive treatment. Because a conviction often comes with a requirement to undergo this treatment, in some cases an arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants is a blessing in disguise.

A study that appeared in the journal Addiction interviewed about 700 adults with a drunk-driving condition. Nearly half of the participants had either relapsed into heavy drinking after a period of cutting back, or had been drinking heavily for several years without attempting to curb their habits. And between one-fifth and one-third of those drinkers could be classified as alcohol- or drug-dependent, or suffered mental health conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

For Oregonians who either don't recognize they have a problem or simply can't afford treatment, a DUII -- which is still a traumatic experience, particularly if it involves an accident -- can actually have long-lasting benefits.

The study interviewed adults who had been convicted of driving while intoxicated about 15 years earlier. The researchers identified men as "risky" drinkers if they regularly had more than 14 drinks per week or at least five drinks per day. Women were considered risky if they consumed more than seven drinks a week or at least four drinks in a day. Some of the adults in the study had varied their drinking habits throughout their lives. Others had managed to cut down on heavy drinking. Just over 20 percent had quit drinking altogether. But almost half of the 696 adults continued to struggle with alcohol, having either resumed heavy drinking after years of cutting back, or continued to drink heavily throughout their lives. Many also had mental health disorders.

Because DUII offenders tend to have a high risk of drinking and driving again, identifying those who need extensive treatment carries multiple benefits, both to the offenders themselves and other drivers and passengers on the road. By identifying and treating these offenders as patients rather than purely as criminals, we as a society could help reduce the number of drunk-driving accidents and make traveling Oregon roads safer for everyone.

Source: Reuters, "Drunk drivers show risky lifetime drinking habits -- study," Amy Norton, June 22, 2012