A revamp of the highly successful Under the Limit drink driving rehabilitation program has seen completion rates increase to the highest levels with 86 per cent of high-risk, high-range convicted drink drivers finishing the program.
Originally developed by QUT’s Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) in 1993, the Under the Limit Program has been found to reduce repeat high-range offences by 55 per cent.
CARRS-Q state program coordinator Sue Taylor said more than 11,000 Queenslanders on drink driving charges had undertaken the Under the Limit program since being introduced.
Ms Taylor said previous evaluations of the program had shown success in reducing repeat offences was highly dependent on course completion.“In June this year we launched a revamp of the program, shortening it to six weeks and we’ve found this to be highly effective in reducing attrition rates,” Ms Taylor said.
“This illustrates the importance of attending each session for the full program.”
Ms Taylor said in addition to being shorter, the revised program focused to a greater extent on participants devising their own ways to avoid drink driving that were most likely to work in their own personal circumstances.
“It is about putting alcohol consumption and decision making in the context of their lives and challenging them to come up with solutions,” she said.
Ms Taylor said a key element of the program was the drink tracker, which saw participants record their drinking habits.
“Based on 112 participants from trials of the 11 week Under the Limit program, 35 per cent of participants reduced their weekly alcohol consumption on average from 30 standard drinks to 10 standard drinks, this was recorded from weeks 4 to 10.
To find out more about the Under the Limit drink driving rehabilitation program visit, http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/utl/general1.jsp
The under the limit program is currently being offered in the following locations throughout Queensland:
- Brisbane South – Lang Park PCYC and Logan
- Brisbane North - Chermside
- Brisbane West - Ipswich
- Southern Region - Dalby, Gatton, Roma, Stanthorpe, Toowoomba and Warwick
- South Coast Region – Burleigh and Southport
- North Coast Region - Bribie Island, Caboolture, Caloundra, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Maroochydore, Nambour, Noosa and Redcliffe
- Central Region - Bowen, Bundaberg, Cannonvale, Gladstone, Mackay, Maryborough, Proserpine and Rockhampton
- Northern Region - Mount Isa and Townsville
- Far Northern Region - Atherton, Cairns, Innisfail and Mareeba
Media contact:
Sandra Hutchinson, QUT Media (Tue, Wed), 07 3138 9449 or media@qut.edu.au
After hours, Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901
