Coping strategies, reasons for driving, and the effect of self-monitoring in drinking-driving situations.

Male and female volunteers, who were drinking regularly but had not been convicted of DUI, were recruited for interviews about their past drinking episodes in a variety of locations and the reasons why they had or had not driven after drinking. The results of the initial interviews were used to compile a catalog of reported strategies and reasons for not driving after drinking, reported reasons for driving after drinking, and reported strategies to avoid detection or arrest when driving after drinking. Following the initial interview, each subject was randomly assigned to either a self-monitoring group or a no self-monitoring control group for three monthly follow-up interviews. The results of the follow-up revealed no apparent effect of self-monitoring on a variety of both drinking and drinking-and-driving measures.