The Societal Implication of Impaired Driving

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the issue of drunk driving and how it affects society. It first defines drunk driving and then looks at how drinking alcohol impairs one's ability to drive. The sociological perspectives of drinking and driving are examined, and the causes of this phenomenon are discussed. Finally, suggestions for methods to change this ever-growing problem in society are analyzed.

From the Paper:

"The views of the major sociological perspectives would all share the similar view that impaired driving is wrong but all three would have great differences from one another as well. The structural functionalist may argue that drinking and driving is one of the dysfunctions of a functional society. All societies need dysfunctions to operate correctly. Drunk driving as a dysfunction is creating jobs within the society such as auto maintenance and manufacturing. A functionalist may also say that impaired driving is inevitable, a part of society that people must learn to live with and do its best to prevent. A conflict theorist would probably argue that drunk drivers are part of a subordinate group within a society that is a burden on the dominant group. A conflict theorist may also say that it is because of a person's lack of money that he/she would drive while intoxicated, insinuating that the bulk of drunk drivers belong to the lower and middle class who can't afford a taxi. A symbolic interactionist may lay blame for the drinking and driving problem on societies dependence on personal transportation and commitment to alcohol. They may argue that it is the promotion and advertising of alcoholic beverages and automobiles on television, radio, in the newspaper, and on billboards, etc. that people see everyday that encourage not one, but both of these things. People may get the message that it is ok to engage in both activities at the same time as a result of seeing these symbols all around them. As you will see in this next section, H. Laurence Ross is a symbolic interactionist."

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