In Charleston, South Carolina, cases of DUI-related incidents are increasing with the city’s eminent dining scenery and nightlife.
From left to right: Jillian Wilkie (Hospitality and Tourism Management major), Crystal Lindner (Business Administration major)
Over the summer, with the support and funding from the School of Business Office of Tourism Analysis, Steve Litvin, professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management and student researchers, Jillian Wilkie and Crystal Lindner, a study for the Charleston Police Department was conducted to find out if restaurants and bars were contributing to the city’s DUI problem. The discoveries they made were shocking.
The research is based on the pre-pandemic level of Charleston’s traffic activities, with a compiled record of 370 DUI arrests and adjudications over a 14-month period. Here is what the research team learned:
- A third of the DUI arrest suspects worked in the hospitality industry.
- 62% of intoxicated drivers come from commercial establishments.
- Among the arrest records, only about half specified the bar or restaurant the suspect patronized.
Like many College of Charleston School of Business classes, Professor Litvin’s students spend each semester brainstorming solutions to current industry challenges. This past Fall, the ongoing issue of alcohol-impaired driving continued into the classroom, where student teams formed to make recommendations to tackle the issue.
Full article on The College TODAY: DUI Study Turns Students Into Road Scholars
