NCJ Number
77634
Date Published
1979
Length
40 pages
Annotation
Findings and recommendations are presented from a literature review that examined the nature, scope, and trend of the problem of driving while intoxicated (DWI); the standards, methods, and impact of enforcement; and the role of the community and agencies involved, with particular attention to Seattle, Wash.
Abstract
The report contains a discussion of the effects of alcohol on the brain; the relationship of alcohol to highway accidents, crime, and violence; the incidence of drinking drivers; and losses resulting from DWI. National, State, and local (Seattle) standards for controlling DWI are reviewed, as are the nature of DWI enforcement in Seattle and the general impact of enforcement of DWI legislation in this country and abroad. The report also considers advertising and economic issues and alcohol information services. Findings show that nationally one-half of all fatal accidents are alcohol related. The trend in alcohol use in Washington State is increasing, and advertising of alcohol beverages in Seattle exceeded $7 million in 1978. Economic losses due to traffic collision fatalities alone in Seattle exceeded $7.5 million in 1978. The budget for the Seattle Police Department's specialized DWI squad amounted to $269,000 in 1977. The driver-centered, penalty-oriented traffic safety measures appear not to be working. For increased enforcement to have any impact, there must be a corresponding increase in activity by other involved agencies and the community as a whole. It is recommended that the arrest rate for DWI be increased, that DWI offenders be channeled into alcohol rehabilitation programs, and that public education about alcohol use and driving be intensified. Graphic and tabular data are provided, and extensive literature, references, and contacts are listed.