For immediate release: [DATE]

Contact: [NAME & PHONE]

[LOCAL 3D COALITION] Celebrates National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month With Millions Nationwide

December Holidays a Deadly Time, [##] Died in [State/County] Last Year

DATE – (CITY/STATE) – December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month and [LOCAL 3D COALITION] is part of a nationwide effort involving hundreds of organizations around the country to try to reduce impaired driving this holiday season. Impaired driving is a big part of why the December holidays are traditionally one of the deadliest times of the year on our nation’s highways.

3D Prevention Month efforts around the country will call attention to this problem and involve millions of Americans in activities to try to prevent deaths and injuries due to impaired driving and to call for stronger policies and programs to deter impaired driving. [LOCAL OFFICIAL OR GROUP] recently signed a proclamation declaring December as 3D Prevention Month in [NAME OF LOCALITY]. The theme of this year’s campaign is Strengthening Safe Communities, which continues emphasis on the need for every part of the community – businesses, citizen groups, health care providers, law enforcement agencies, schools, government, etc. – to play a role in the fight against impaired driving.

[QUOTE FROM 3D COALITION LEADER WITH LOCAL STATISTICS – 1997 DATA IS AVAILABLE FROM YOUR NHTSA REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR, ON THE 3D COALITION WEB SITE AT www.3dmonth.org OR THE NHTSA WEB SITE AT www.nhtsa.dot.gov ]

[LOCAL 3D COALITION] will join with groups in every state for Lights on for Life Day on Friday, December 18, 1998, and is asking motorists to drive with their headlights on all day to remind people about the impaired driving problem and to remember those killed by impaired drivers. [LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT] will also be part of the National Holiday Lifesavers Weekend, Friday, December 18 through Sunday, December 20. Law enforcement agencies across the nation will increase enforcement efforts against impaired drivers, speeders, aggressive drivers, and others who make the roads especially dangerous at this time of year.

[INSERT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR 3D MONTH ACTIVITIES]

The 1998 3D Prevention Month campaign, Strengthening Safe Communities, is urging states to adopt important laws to reduce impaired driving crashes. [STATE] needs to adopt the following [DELETE THOSE YOUR STATE HAS ALREADY ADOPTED]:

• .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) – which would lower the state’s legal limit for BAC to the level recommended by most highway safety groups and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Administrative license revocation (ALR) – which allows law enforcement officers to confiscate the driver’s license of any driver who is found with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit or who refuses to take a blood alcohol level test

• Screening and treatment programs – required screening for alcoholism for all impaired driving offenders and mandatory treatment for repeat offenders

• Open container ban – which would make it illegal to operate a motor vehicle while in possession of an open container of alcohol

• Graduated licensing – which would establish a phase-in of driving privileges for new, young drivers

[ADD OTHER LEGISLATION YOU SUPPORT]

The campaign is also encouraging new partners in all parts of the community to become active in solving the impaired driving problem. Last year, alcohol-related deaths fell only 1.6 percent, which essentially continues a 4-year plateau in the war against impaired driving. Partners in Progress, a public/private partnership between DOT and the nation’s safety community, has set a goal of reducing the nation’s death toll in alcohol-related crashes to 11,000 by 2005. In order to reach that goal, new and expanded programs are needed. Here are some recommendations:

• Highly publicized sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols by law enforcement agencies

• Responsible server training and designated driver promotions at bars and restaurants

• Alternative ride programs on key holidays (New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, etc.)

• Community programs to discourage underage drinking, such as alcohol-free graduation parties

• Self-sufficient driving while intoxicated (DWI) programs that pay for themselves

For more information about local 3D Prevention Month events, call [CONTACT NAME & PHONE].