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Citation |
Lynn CW, Jernigan JD, Norris A, Froning P. Transp. Res. Rec. 1993; 1401: 90-99. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 1993, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing) |
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DOI |
unavailable |
PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
In 1968, Virginia passed the Habitual Offender Act (the Act), one of the first laws in the United States directed at motorists who repeatedly violate traffic laws. Persons convicted as habitual offenders are subject to long-term license revocation, and those who violate this revocation may be incarcerated. A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Act in enhancing traffic safety in Virginia. A sizable number of individuals whose driving records include a sufficient number of convictions to allow the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to certify them as habitual offenders are never brought before the courts on the charge. The existence of such a group of certified yet nonadjudicated habitual offenders is an indication that the procedures implementing the Act need to be changed to promote a more global implementation. However, the existence of this group allowed the researchers to compare a sample of certified habitual offenders with a group that had been adjudicated. In general, the adjudicated group had more prior convictions for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the certified group had more convictions for operating under a suspended operator's license and more convictions that were defined as minor offenses under the Act. However, the adjudicated group had fewer subsequent traffic convictions and crashes and were conviction-free and crash-free for a longer period of time. These data indicate that adjudication under the Act may enhance traffic safety. Language: en |