In the United States, 29 people die every day in motor vehicle accidents that involve a driver who is impaired by alcohol. That’s one death every 50 minutes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the annual cost of alcohol-related crashes is more than $44 billion. Drugs other than alcohol, whether legal or illegal, are involved in about 16 percent of motor vehicle crashes. In response, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and The Guide to Community Preventive Services have approved the following strategies to prevent or reduce drunk driving.
Drunk driving laws
It is illegal across the United States for people to drive with a blood alcohol content at or above 0.08 percent. People under 21 are subject to zero tolerance laws, which make it illegal to drive with any amount of alcohol in their system. There are also laws in place in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that set the minimum legal drinking age at 21. These have been proven to have a measurable effect on highway safety and have saved tens of thousands of lives since their implementation.
Sobriety checkpoints
Sobriety checkpoints are a technique where law enforcement officials briefly stop vehicles at specific, highly visible locations to evaluate drivers for signs of impairment. Police may stop every vehicle or choose to randomly stop certain ones. Breath tests may be given if police have a reason to suspect the driver is intoxicated. Some states allow these checkpoints, but others have banned them due to concerns about constitutionality.
Ignition interlocks
Ignition interlocks are essentially breathalyzers installed in cars that can measure alcohol on the driver’s breath. Interlocks prevent a car from starting if the driver has a BAC above a certain level. They’re frequently required for people convicted of drunk driving and are effective at preventing repeat offenses.
Learn more about successful ignition interlock practices for states
Multi-component interventions
Multi-component interventions, as the name suggests, combine several programs or policies to prevent drunk driving. These might include sobriety checkpoints, education and awareness efforts, and limiting access to alcohol.
Mass media campaigns
Mass media campaigns are things like television commercials or billboards that spread messages about the physical and legal consequences of drunk driving.
Administrative license revocation or suspension laws
Administrative license revocation or suspension laws allow police to take away the license of a driver who tests at or above the legal BAC limit or who refuses to comply with testing. These vary from state to state.
Alcohol screening and brief interventions
Alcohol screening and brief interventions use “teachable moments” to identify people at risk for alcohol dependence and get them treatment. These might take place at healthcare facilities or universities.
School-based instructional programs
School-based instructional programs educate teens about the dangers of driving drunk or riding with drunk drivers.
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