January 2012 – The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) is pleased to announce that it has been contracted by The Century Council to conduct a follow-up study to its report, State of Knowledge: Female Drunk Drivers. This U.S. report was released in December 2011.
The objective of the research is to build on the available state of knowledge about female drunk drivers. Its goals are to close important knowledge gaps that were identified in the previous report with respect to the magnitude of the problem, the characteristics of female drunk drivers, and the availability of programs to manage this population. TIRF’s latest study will target this issue in three large jurisdictions and will utilize a multi-faceted design that includes:
- analysis of a variety of state data sources including collision, arrest, court, probation and treatment data as available;
- focus groups with first and repeat offenders to gauge their attitudes, behaviours and characteristics; and,
- key informant interviews with practitioners representing criminal justice and treatment agencies to identify how female drunk drivers are managed in the DWI system.
The final report will summarize key findings from the data analyses, focus group and key informant interviews as a basis for drawing conclusions and making recommendations regarding the management of this population.
It is anticipated that this project will be completed at the end of 2012.
To access State of Knowledge: Female Drunk Drivers, please visit www.tirf.ca.
About TIRF
Established in 1964, TIRF’s mission is to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries. As a national, independent, charitable road safety institute, TIRF designs, promotes, and implements effective programs and policies, based on sound research. TIRF is a registered charity and depends on grants, contracts, and donations to provide services for the public. Visit us online at www.tirf.ca.
