Graduation from a zero to .05 BAC restriction in an Australian graduated licensing system: a difficult transition for young drivers?

In Victoria, Australia, 21-26-year-old drivers are over-represented in alcohol-related fatal crashes. At this age drivers generally transfer from intermediate to full licensure, correspondingly experiencing an increase in legal BAC limit from zero to.05. This study used telephone surveys to compare drinking-driving profiles of 21-26-year-old fully-licensed, 18-20-year-old intermediate and 31-40-year-old experienced drivers ( N congruent with 700) to identify potential crash-risk factors. High driving and drinking exposure was a likely contributor to the over-involvement of male 21-26-year-olds, but not females. A tendency by 21-26-year-olds to rely on other drivers was both successful and unsuccessful in avoiding drink-driving. When driving themselves, there was a tendency to count or space drinks - less successful than abstaining from alcohol. The need to return home, convenience and lack of transport options were common reasons for drink-driving. Fear of crashes/injuries, licence loss and detection/arrest were common motivators to avoid drink-driving. Findings suggest the increase in BAC limit is a difficult transition for some drivers and may contribute to their crash involvement.