Evaluation of four state impaired driving enforcement demonstration programs: Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

Abstract

This study provided a consolidated evaluation of four separate demonstration projects aimed at reducing impaired driving through well-publicized enforcement. Each of the four demonstration projects used different enforcement approaches in an effort to reduce impaired driving crashes in the State. Georgia experienced a significant decrease in drinking-and-driving fatal crashes (14 percent using a ratio measure in a time series analysis). The program in Georgia (2800 checkpoints) saved an estimated 60 lives in the first year. While Louisiana experienced a raw decrease in the ratio of drinking drivers to nondrinking drivers in fatal crashes, when the control parishes and the comparison States were taken into consideration, the apparent decrease was neutralized. Although Pennsylvania's selected counties showed relative decreases across a variety of measures when compared to control counties and surrounding States, these decreases were not significant. In Tennessee, the ratio measure showed a significant decrease (-10.6 percent) compared to surrounding States with an estimated 43 lives saved in the first year. In summary, it appears that if States use a sobriety checkpoint model that includes (a) a statewide effort, (b) numerous sobriety checkpoints conducted each weekend throughout the year, (c) intensive publicity about the enforcement, and (d) properly trained law enforcement officials, significant decreases in impaired driving fatalities can be realized.