NTL Record

Title Message from the Media: Drinking and Driving in Newspapers
Record ID 25737
Personal Name
Creator
Estep, Rhoda; Wallack, Lawrence Marshall
Source iv, 83 p.
Corporate Creator National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.). Center for Prevention Research
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publisher United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publication Date 19850705
Language English
Abstract This report presents major findings on newspaper coverage of the drinking and driving issue from September, 1983, through August, 1984 in the United States. A content analysis of 300 articles drawn from a larger sample of over 1700 articles gathered information on the characteristics of the newspapers and articles as well as a detailed analysis of the content of both the article's headline and the article itself. The analysis revealed that the most frequently occurring story focused on legislation to reduce drunk driving by increasing the legal drinking age and the sanctions applied to those convicted of driving under the influence. Also, it was found that while metropolitan dailies often emphasized legislative matters or the courts' handling of drinking drivers, rural and weekly papers more often featured stories on education and prevention efforts to reduce driving under the influence. Finally, news reports most often attempted to be objective in their approach to the issue in contrast to editorials, which were most likely to contain an impassioned plea for the passage of legislation to reduce the problems associated with drunk driving. /Abstract from report summary page/
Rosap ID dot:1446
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1446
TRT Terms News; Newspapers; Drunk driving; Attitudes
General Subjects Impaired driving, Alcohol
Classification NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - SAFETY AND SECURITY;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Highway Safety
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
00464491
Contract Number DTNH22-84-X-07496
Report Number DOT-HS-806-990; NTIS-PB86223435
Availability NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Research
Resource type Research Paper
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/25000/25700/25737/DOT-HS-806-990.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository