Alco Icohol abuse among adolescents represents a significant public health issue in our country. It has been estimated that someone is killed by a drunk driver every 23 minutes and that one out of every two Americans will be involved in an alcoholrelated crash at some point in their lives (World Health Organization Report, 1999). By the time they are seniors in high school, nearly 90% of the students have tried alcohol, more than 50% are current users, and approximately 25% report that they have recently engaged in binge drinking (O'Malley et al., 1984). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have defined binge drinking as the consumption of five or more alcoholic beverages on at least one occasion during the preceding month (Duncan, 1997). As educators, we are keenly aware of the impact that substance abuse has had on our society. Alcohol abuse is preventable and we need to do a better job of convincing our students to resist the lure of this life-threatening behavior.

A Drunk Driving Prevention Program for Your Students.

A behavioral solution to the drunk driving dilemma.

The problem of drunk driving is addressed from a behavioral point of view. It is discussed primarily as a failure in the process of operant conditioning, with the inappropriate behavior of the drunk driver resulting from a profound ignorance of the potentially tragic consequences of his behavior. Consequently, it is reasoned that if the destructive behavior is to be reduced, a technique must be found to show the drunk driver the potential consequences of his behavior. It is concluded that the most effective way to do this is by requiring the drunk driver to witness the autopsies of several drunk driving fatalities first-hand. The hypothesis is that the overwhelming shock of this experience will intrinsically motivate the drunk driver to greatly reduce his drunk driving behavior.

Michael A. Corey

Papers

A behavioral solution to the drunk driving dilemma.

A Behavioral Solution to the Drunk Driving Dilemma.