An empirical typology of persistent drinking drivers

Information on the characteristics of persistent drinking drivers is essential to facilitate efforts to reduce alcohol-related crashes. This study utilized cluster analysis of the Alcohol Use Inventory (AUI) to identify subgroups of persistent drinking drivers (n=363). Persistent drinking drivers were defined as individuals with at least two drinking and driving convictions. Clusters were identified by a non-hierarchical technique using the second-level factors of the AUI. Indices suggested the presence of typologies consisting of two and three clusters. For the two cluster solution, the first cluster had scores below the mean and the second cluster scores above the mean on the derivation variables. The three cluster model had a low scoring cluster and high scoring cluster that were more extreme than their counterparts in the two cluster model, with an additional intermediate cluster that had mildly positive scores on all of the derivation variables, except a slightly negative score on obsessed drinking. Differences between the empirical groups were also reflected in statistical differences on relevant measures external to the cluster derivation. These results indicate that persistent drinking drivers are not a homogeneous group, and may be characterized by levels of problem severity. For the covering abstract see ITRD E106992.