This study collected self-report, biological, and official record data covering the 3 months before the interlock was installed, the 6 months when the interlock was on the vehicle, and the 3 months following its removal. These self-report data were augmented with objective measures of alcohol consumption from biomarkers in hair and blood and interlock breath tests. Data were examined to determine the coping methods (e.g., drinking at home versus away from home) used by offenders to avoid lockouts and the trajectories of those coping mechanisms in transition from the pre-arrest period (when the participant was driving under normal conditions), to the period on the interlock (when the participant is prevented from driving if drinking), to the 3 months after the interlock is removed. Knowledge about how they changed their drinking and/or driving behaviors in order to start their cars was assessed. More significantly, these results provided a basis for developing interventions that extend the safety benefits of the altered drinking-driving behaviors adopted while on the interlock into the period following interlock removal.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) R01 AA022312
