Citation

Ross HL, Simon S, Cleary J. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1995; 1995: 610-612.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The American state of Minnesota administratively cancels the registration and confiscates the plates of vehicles owned by repeat offender drunk drivers. Samples of repeat offenders were interviewed both in Minnesota and in Iowa, chosen for comparison because its law also provides for plate confiscation, though judicially rather than administratively, and where the vehicle registration systems differs. Representative samples of the official records of both drunk drivers and routine offenders were analyzed. Independent evidence finds that plate confiscation is capable of reducing future impaired driving by multiple offenders but this research shows that the procedure is easily evaded. Moreover, in Minnesota, police do not fully implement the procedure, and in Iowa confiscation is virtually never effected. The causes of these failures are explored and procedural improvements are recommended.