What We Know

Impaired driving continues to be the most frequently committed violent crime in America. Although alcohol-related traffic deaths have been on the decline for the past decade, the most recent statistics show that the decline has stopped. Levels now remain much the same as in previous years. Additionally, the 21- to 34-, and the 15- to 21-year-old age groups continue to be over-represented in impaired driving traffic crashes, deaths, and injuries. To put the problem in perspective, someone in this country dies in an alcohol-related crash every 30 minutes. About two in every five Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at sometime in their lives.

What Works

To get past the plateau that we have reached and begin to see a drop in the incidences of impaired driving and riding, we know that a combination of essential factors must be present: effective laws, strong enforcement, and highly visible public information and education.

Thanks to grassroots organizations, citizen activists, national highway safety and public health groups, concerned legislators and other elected leaders, involved industries, and millions of others, some real progress has been made. Laws have been passed, and these laws have been shown to be effective in the fight against impaired driving. Many states have enacted lower blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels for youthful offenders.

Zero tolerance laws are now enacted in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Sixteen states have currently enacted .08 BAC per se, and 40 states plus the District of Columbia have administrative license revocation (ALR) laws. Many states have also adopted graduated driver licensing systems.

People have changed their behavior patterns as well; more are receptive to the idea of using a designated driver, party hosts are more cautious, and guests look out for one another. The hospitality industry has been supportive and has made commitments to training servers to recognize signs of impairment. Overall, Americans seem to better understand the impaired driving and riding problem: fewer are driving after drinking, and more are being caught when they do.

Where We Go From Here

Partnerships at the community level are the essential ingredients to making the combination of legislation, enforcement, public information, and education work. It is only through partnerships that we will reach the national goal of reducing alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities to 11,000 by the year 2005. This planner provides some ideas, examples, and resources for implementing impaired driving and riding prevention programs for National 3D Prevention Month and throughout the year.