Young Drivers, Deterrence Theory, and Punishment Avoidance: A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

Abstract Punishment avoidance occurs when a person commits an offence but is not punished for it. The aim of this article was to explore how young drivers experience punishment avoidance. New drivers aged between 17 and 25 years participated in 11 focus groups held in both metropolitan and regional areas in two Australian states: Queensland and Victoria. Thematic analysis identified that young drivers experience punishment avoidance in one of three ways. First, they can attempt to actively avoid punishment by engaging in deliberate actions to circumvent policing activities. Secondly, they can experience either direct or vicarious punishment avoidance of police enforcement. An example of this would be ‘talking their way out of a ticket’ after they had been caught by a police officer. Finally, their parents may help them avoid punishment by, for instance, paying the traffic fine on their child’s behalf. This article increases our understanding of how punishment avoidance occurs in practice.