Research Methods and Evidence Based Practice

This article discusses the impact of preventive alcohol checks on people who drive after drinking. It includes critical appraisal criteria, statistical analysis, and conclusions.

Running head: RESEARCH METHODS AND EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
Research methods and evidence based practice
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Background......................................................................................................................................3
Critical appraisal criteria..................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The topic presents brief explanation about the preventive alcohol checks and its impacts
on the people who drive vehicles after drinking. Based on the evidences related to the increased
numbers of accidents in the past few years, the major cause had been drinking and driving. The
topic will illustrate about the various aspects related to the control checks’ impact on the people
who drive after drinking. The various questions will be assessed to understand the treatment
groups selected randomly along with the impact of control checks integrated for ensuring that the
occurrence of accidents decrease and the traffic is managed properly (Palinkas et al. 2015).
Background
The background of the research demonstrates the accidents that have been occurring for
the past few years as people drive their cars after consuming alcohol. It has been a major
problem, not only for the traffic but also the accidents take the lives of many people. It is
important to shed light on the fact that the groups who are affected the most due to this issue are
the individuals who consume alcohol and drive their cars. The preventive alcohol checks can
ensure that the police stop the cars and check whether they have consumed alcohol or not
(Bryman and Bell 2015). In case they are drunk, they should be penalized or even given some
kind of punishment so that the same thing does not happen again and the occurrence of accidents
are reduced to a large extent.

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Critical appraisal criteria
1. Yes, the assignment to the treatment groups are truly random and it is quite clear that the
random selection of candidates has helped in understanding that driving after having drinks is
one of the major causes of accidents. According to the random selection and treatment of groups,
it is also found that the drinking driving has contributed to the large proportion of the traffic
accidents. The effects of alcohol on drivers are immense and it affects the driving performance
too (Ritchie et al. 2013). The assignment to treatment groups on a random manner helped in
collecting data and information related to the subjective feelings and driving performance in
different blood alcohol concentration levels. Not only the consumption of alcohol affects the
behaviors of individuals, but also their perception, reaction and controlling the vehicles tend to
change, which has increased the higher rate of accidents. It was not only considered as a major
threat to traffic safety but also created issues while driving the vehicles (Meesmann, Martensen
and Dupont 2015).
2. The participants were not blinded to treatment allocation, because they should be informed
about the causes of accidents and even the outcomes that might be generated while driving after
drinking. The allocation of treatment procedures could not only reduce the occurrence of
accidents, but also would enable conducting the preventive alcohol checks so that people can
stop to drive after drinking. It was found that the consumption of alcohol impaired the driving
skills and increases the chances or risks of accidents, which could cause serious injuries and even
sometimes death. The alcohol impaired driving accidents contribute to large numbers of deaths
of people as well as animals like kangaroos in Australia. It is approximately 30 percent of the
traffic fatalities in Australia (Erickson et al. 2013).

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3. The allocation of treatment group was not hidden from the allocator because it is important to
inform them about the topic regarding the preventive alcohol checks for the individuals who
drink and drive. It can make them understand about the ill effects of being drunk while driving.
The allocation to treatment groups must not be concealed from the allocator for ensuring that the
individuals are educated and informed about the drunk driving laws, rules and regulation. Once
they are found to drive after drinking, they should be penalized and considered as violating the
laws and traffic rules (Labeit, Peinemann and Baker 2013).
4. While analyzing the data and information, it was found that the responses provided by some of
the people already left. Still their responses were considered as useful data required for analyzing
the various aspects of the topic and delivering an appropriate conclusion. The outcomes of
people clearly showed that the consumption of alcohol affected the cognition level, attention,
reaction, judgment and hindered successful utilization of the driver’s skills including the braking
behavior, vision and speed control. Few of the outcomes of people demonstrated the fact that the
alcohol consumption affected the visual performance of the individuals and it became difficult
for them to control the vehicles, which could be the major causes of accidents (Chinman et al.
2014).
5. The responses were mainly positive and many of the people agreed to the fact that they were
blind to the treatment allocation. The individuals who assessed the outcomes discriminated the
drinking driving based o the riving performance. The drivers must be engaged in simulation
driving at the BAC levels for ensuring that drinking level could be minimized and the driving
performance could be improved. It would be important to assess the signatures of diver’s

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subjective feelings after consuming alcohol and determine the effects of drink driving at BAC
levels (Chang et al. 2013).
6. The control and treatment groups were not comparable at entry, because of which, the cases of
accidents due to drinking driving kept on increasing. The young individuals who drink and drive
are recorded as higher than the older drivers. Though most of them have valid driver license and
regular driving habits, still they are subjected to some kinds of harms caused due to rash driving
or being unable to control the vehicles after consuming alcohol. The control and treatment
groups are not similar, because the roles are different and so controlling the preventive checks
and treating the individuals who are found drunk while driving are not similar and can be
compared easily at entry (Clifford, Doran and Tsey 2013).
7. The groups were treated in a similar manner just like the other named interventions, which
helped in managing the collection of data regarding the issues faced. During the conduction of
preventive alcohol checks, it was found that every participant was required to visit randomly for
balancing the order effects on the drivers. The individuals taking part in the checking process
must sleep well and do not consume any kinds of stimulating food or beverage. After conducting
the checks, they should be provided with practical training to practice driving and become
familiarized with the simulator control and adjust with the road where they would be driving
accordingly (Livingston 2013).
8. The outcomes were measured in the same manner for all the groups and it showed that by
conducting the preventive alcohol checks would ensure preventing the occurrence of accidents
largely as well as make people aware of the negative impacts of drinking driving. People would

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become more aware and make sure that alcoholic beverages were prevented to an extent before
driving.
9. Yes the outcomes were measured in a reliable way, because the responses obtained in the form
of data had been collected from the respondents who had been experienced drivers (Mathews,
Thorn and Giorgi 2013).
10. The statistical analysis should be done by using the SPSS tool and MS Excel sheet for
representing the data and information in graphical formats, tables for easy understanding.
11. The results mean that the preventive alcohol checks have created a positive impact on the
people who drive after drinking. It has not only penalized them for rash driving and small
accidents caused due to drinking driving, but also made them aware of the effects that might be
caused. It has reduced the occurrence of accidents to a certain extent in Australia and even made
people more cautious about not driving after consuming alcohol (Terer and Brown 2014).
a) The results are real, because all the responses are obtained from the individuals who may have
been the victims of such incidents or are aware of the driving related accidents that may be
caused due to drinking driving. The responses should be monitored to make any necessary
changes or improvements that could be helpful for managing the research topic effectively and
with much ease and effectiveness.
b) The results are relevant and appropriate considering the fact that many people have believed
the fact and have been cautious about not consuming alcohol before driving. The preventive
alcohol checks have created have also created awareness among people and it resulted in making
choices that are convenient and safe for people while driving (Palinkas et al. 2015).

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Conclusion
The topic focused on the effects that were caused while conducting preventive alcohol
checks on the people who drink after driving. From the questions, the responses were mainly
positive and it showed that the outcomes were appropriate and the randomly people were
selected to make sure that unbiased responses were provided. It also made the people more
cautious about not having alcohol before driving because it might have certain negative impacts
like blurred vision, lack of vehicle control, which were considered as the major causes of
accidents in Australia.

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References
Bryman, A. and Bell, E., 2015. Business research methods. Oxford University Press, USA.
Chang, L.Y., Lin, D.J., Huang, C.H. and Chang, K.K., 2013. Analysis of contributory factors for
driving under the influence of alcohol: A stated choice approach. Transportation research part
F: traffic psychology and behaviour, 18, pp.11-20.
Chinman, M., Ebener, P., Burkhart, Q., Osilla, K.C., Imm, P., Paddock, S.M. and Wright, P.A.,
2014. Evaluating the impact of getting to outcomes–underage drinking on prevention capacity
and alcohol merchant attitudes and selling behaviors. Prevention science, 15(4), pp.485-496.
Clifford, A.C., Doran, C.M. and Tsey, K., 2013. A systematic review of suicide prevention
interventions targeting indigenous peoples in Australia, United States, Canada and New
Zealand. BMC public health, 13(1), p.463.
Erickson, D.J., Smolenski, D.J., Toomey, T.L., Carlin, B.P. and Wagenaar, A.C., 2013. Do
alcohol compliance checks decrease underage sales at neighboring establishments?. Journal of
studies on alcohol and drugs, 74(6), pp.852-858.

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Labeit, A., Peinemann, F. and Baker, R., 2013. Utilisation of preventative health check-ups in
the UK: findings from individual-level repeated cross-sectional data from 1992 to 2008. BMJ
open, 3(12), p.e003387.
Livingston, M., 2013. To reduce alcohol‐related harm we need to look beyond pubs and
nightclubs. Drug and alcohol review, 32(2), pp.113-114.
Mathews, R., Thorn, M. and Giorgi, C., 2013. Vested interests in addiction research and policy.
Is the alcohol industry delaying government action on alcohol health warning labels in
Australia?. Addiction, 108(11), pp.1889-1896.
Meesmann, U., Martensen, H. and Dupont, E., 2015. Impact of alcohol checks and social norm
on driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Accident Analysis & Prevention, 80, pp.251-
261.
Palinkas, L.A., Horwitz, S.M., Green, C.A., Wisdom, J.P., Duan, N. and Hoagwood, K., 2015.
Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation
research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services
Research, 42(5), pp.533-544.
Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C.M. and Ormston, R. eds., 2013. Qualitative research practice:
A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage.
Terer, K. and Brown, R., 2014. Effective drink driving prevention and enforcement strategies:
Approaches to improving practice. Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice, (472), p.1.

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