Drink Driving and Road Accidents in New South Wales: A Report

This report examines the pervasive issue of drink driving in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, focusing on accident trends and the demographics most affected. The report highlights concerning statistics, such as the disproportionate involvement of young drivers (aged 20-24) in road accidents related to alcohol consumption, drawing data from NSW Transport and other sources. It delves into the risk factors contributing to drink driving, including personality traits like anger and excitement, and the consequences, which range from health issues to fatalities. The report advocates for driver education as a key strategy to reduce incidents, suggesting initial screening tests and training to address risky behaviors and promote safer driving practices. The report also references several sources to support its claims.

Running Head: PHYSICAL EDUCATION 0
Physical Education
Drink Driving
Student’s Details
9/17/2019

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 1
Drink Driving becoming the biggest Killer of NSW Drivers
Date: 20/09/2019
Drink driving is a major problem throughout the world, including Australia. Do not know how
many people lose their lives due to driving drunk on every day of the world. Especially in big
cities of the country, such incidents are being seen every day. The government has been
continuously campaigning against such people, but, despite strict rules and regulations, people
do not take time to tear apart the law and endanger lives along with their lives.
Facts and Statistics
NSW Transport has produced a report which examines the trends of young driver accidents. The
results suggest that there is a very high probability that drivers under the age of 25 years old and
with drivers from the car crash drive while fatigued, speed limits and poor safety performance.
These factors mean a combination of the high risk of loss of life and serious injury of young
drivers.
From the graph given above, it is coming to know that between the age of 20 and 24 years old
drivers have the maximum number of road accidents.

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In the context of Australia, 45 percent driver are dying and getting injured. Previous year, Police
of NSW lead 3.4 million Random Breathe Tests. Most of the accidents related to drink driving
occur in rural areas of NSW. 90% of fatal accidents involving drinking drivers are male.
33 percent of all drink drivers who are involved in road accidents, are very young, aged 17-24.
30 percent of the accidents occur in the midnight, mostly 9 pm to 3 am. In NSW, 18 to 20
percent accidents involving drink driving (The Defenders, 2019).

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The report examined drivers' data between 2014 and 2016 and found that 43 drivers aged
between 20 and 24 have gone dead. Drink driving is an issue in seven accidents in NSW where a
man lost his life. In addition to the drink drivers died in the period of five-year 2013–2017, 93
percent of the men and 67 percent were less than 40 years of age (NSW Government, 2019).
Statistically, young men drivers are more likely to have serious or fatal accidents in comparison
to the women of the same age. 15% of men under 25 from 2014-2016, were more involved in the
accidents whereas women come to represent 5%. Life-threatening accidents represent 13% of the
incidence of young men, and a slightly more significant percentage of 8% of women (Finder,
2018).
Factors of risk taking behavior
In recent years it is seen that the young drivers are involved more in drink and drive accidents.
The major factors which influence this behavior of young crowds can be linked to their
perceptions. It is researched by various experts that the personality factors influence drivers to
take risky ventures and drive speedily and carelessly. The research shows that New South Wales
accidents are mostly contributed by the inexperienced young drivers who are mostly influenced
by personality traits like anger, excitement, and anxiety. The mentioned traits can be the highest

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contributor in provoking the risky driver behavior of young crowd. The risks of driving found to
be common in young drivers due to excessive speeding and speeding for the thrill and using a
mobile phone while driving and even texting while driving. It is also seen that the youngsters
enjoy breaking traffic rules and it make them feel excited which contribute as a major personal
behavior influencing accidents in young crowd (youngdriverfactbase, 2009).
The risky driving in inexperienced and young drivers led to increasing the risk of having an
accident and crash. In current studies, it is also analyzed that the accident occurs in higher rates
in the initial years of driving on a provisional license. In study of over 20000 young drivers in
NSWs, 50% of self-reported risky driving behaviors are directly associated with the risk of
crashing.
Consequences of Risk taking Behavior
The biggest consequence of the drink driving is health and safety consequences. Health
consequences have many types such as breathing issues, heart rate, physical scars and many
more. Driving is already a life risk which took by drivers every day but young drivers are very
careless about their life and they take risk daily by drink driving. This is a risk factor for not the
only driver rather it is risky for pedestrians, bikers, children, and people who enjoy the weather
from outside and many more (Trimboli & Smith, 2009).
After such an incident for months or years with the accused, while the victims with intoxicated,
families and life driving lasted only a few minutes or sometime few seconds. Unexpected
physical weakness or sudden death is painful. Some people with a high and strong system of
support and professional resources can tolerate these disadvantages. Anxiety, depression and
pain and much another type of emotions can affect anyone who affected by the drunk driving. Its
victims can drive away drunken drivers, while victims can provoke anger inside their families
but to find the solution of this problem, there is no permanent way to determine feelings of
security and loss.

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Strategy
Driver education is the best strategy to reduce cases of drunk driving. The suggestion is made
that by taking the propensity of drivers and addressing the risk of overconfidence, the program
can address skills for safety in new ways.
It is important that to reduce risk in driving the government should practically imply the impact
of anxiety, anger, and excitement by introducing initial screening tests on the basis of personal
behaviors of the young drivers. These factors should also be implemented in initial driver
training as well to improve the situation in New South Wales.

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References List
Finder, 2018. Young drivers on NSW roads the most at risk, and the most dangerous. [Online]
Available at: https://www.finder.com.au/young-drivers-nsw-most-at-risk-most-dangerous
[Accessed 18 September 2019].
NSW Government, 2017. Young Drivers Trauma Trends. [Online]
Available at: https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/downloads/trauma-trends-young-drivers.pdf
[Accessed 18 September 2019].
NSW Government, 2019. Alcohol and Driving. [Online]
Available at: https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/alcoholdrugs/drinkdriving/
index.html
[Accessed 18 September 2019].
The Defenders, 2019. Drink driving facts and statistics. [Online]
Available at: https://www.thedefenders.com.au/drink-driving-statistics/
[Accessed 18 September 2019].
Trimboli, L. & Smith, N., 2009. Drink driving and recidivism in NSW. p. 16.
youngdriverfactbase, 2009. Risky driving behavior. [Online]
Available at: https://www.youngdriverfactbase.com/the-issues/behaviour1/
[Accessed 18 September 2019].