Association between alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies and alcohol-impaired driving
Project Author
Issue Date
2015-03-07
Authors
Sanem, Julia R.
Erickson, Darin J.
Rutledge, Patricia C.
Lenk, Kathleen M.
Nelson, Toben F.
Jones-Webb, Rhonda
Toomey, Traci L.
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Keywords
Alcohol-impaired driving , Enforcement , Sobriety checkpoints , Saturation patrols , Open container laws , Latent class analysis
Distribution
Abstract
All states in the U.S. prohibit alcohol-impaired driving but active law enforcement is necessary for effectively reducing this behavior. Sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, open container laws, and media campaigns related to enforcement efforts are all enforcement-related strategies for reducing alcohol-impaired driving. We conducted surveys of all state patrol agencies and a representative sample of local law enforcement agencies to assess their use of alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies and to determine the relationship between these enforcement-related strategies and self-reported alcohol-impaired driving behavior obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We found that sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and enforcement of open container laws were associated with a lower prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving but, more importantly, a combination of enforcement-related strategies was associated with a greater decrease in alcohol-impaired driving than any individual enforcement-related activity. In addition, alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies were associated with decreased alcohol-impaired driving above and beyond their association with decreased binge drinking. Results suggest law enforcement agencies should give greater priority to using a combination of strategies rather than relying on any one individual enforcement activity.
Description
Chair
Major
Department
Psychology
Recorder
License
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Citation
Sanem, Julia R., et al. 2015. "Association between alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies and alcohol-impaired driving." Accident Analysis & Prevention 78: 104-109.
Version
Published Article
Honors
Publisher
Elsevier