Introduction
Impaired
driving is a serious problem in the United States, killing thousands
every year. Reductions in alcohol related traffic deaths occurred in
the 1980’s and early 1990’s,
but progress has stalled since then. In fact, the numbers are beginning
to rise. In an effort to address the issue, the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified three priority initiatives
to help reduce driving while impaired (DWI). Implementation of these
initiatives will support and involve active participation by law
enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and medical and health care professionals.
Background
Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States
for ages 4-34 years old and the third leading cause of years of potential
life lost for all ages combined. In 2002, nearly 43,000 were killed
and nearly 3 million were injured in crashes. Traffic crashes result
in costs to society of more than $230 billion each year.
In addition, more than 40 percent of all traffic fatalities in the
United States are alcohol-related. In 2002, more than 17,400 were
killed in alcohol-related crashes: on average, one death every 30
minutes. NHTSA hopes implementation of its impaired driving initiatives
will help reduce this number by 2,000, achieving a rate of .53 alcohol-related
fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by the end of 2004
(from 0.61/100M VMT in 2002).
An Agency Initiative
NHTSA convened an Integrated Project Team (IPT) to study the issue
and develop a set of recommendations. The full report of the IPT,
which recommends 16 separate initiatives covering a broad range of
strategies, is posted on the agency’s web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
However, to regain momentum regarding this issue and achieve the
greatest impact as quickly as possible, the agency has identified
three priority strategies that are currently being emphasized: (1) high
visibility enforcement; (2) support for prosecutors and DWI courts;
and (3) alcohol screening
and brief intervention. For further information, visit the web
site
www.stopimpaireddriving.org.
High Visibility Enforcement
Periodic high intensity and sustained enforcement crackdowns, supported
by a coordinated media plan, have proven to be an effective countermeasure
for reducing impaired driving fatalities. Checkpoint Tennessee, a yearlong
high visibility enforcement effort conducted in the mid-1990s, resulted
in a 20 percent reduction in alcohol-related crashes. Similar enforcement
and media approaches applied to safety belt use have resulted, on average,
in eight-percentage point increases in belt use after just two weeks
of enforcement, coupled with media exposure.
High visibility enforcement
programs, such as NHTSA’s “You
Drink & Drive. You Lose.” and “Click it or Ticket” campaigns,
affect behavior through general deterrence, by increasing the
public’s
perception that people who violate the law will be ticketed,
arrested, convicted, and punished, and thereby persuading them
to adhere to the law. Moreover, these campaigns are more cost
effective when coordinated nationally, taking advantage of economies
of scale from national media purchases and media events.
The agency’s goal is to reduce the national impaired driving
fatality rate by encouraging and supporting adoption of high
visibility impaired driving enforcement programs across the Nation, and
especially in those States and jurisdictions with high numbers and/or rates
of alcohol-
related fatalities.
NHTSA’ s objective is to work with State Highway Safety Offices
and national law enforcement organizations to engage additional
law enforcement agencies in both periodic impaired driving crackdowns
and sustained impaired driving enforcement throughout the year, and
to ensure that enforcement efforts are highly visible and well publicized
through paid and earned media support. NHTSA offers a variety
of resources, including training programs addressing both alcohol-
and drug-impaired driving, to support increased law enforcement participation.