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Agency Budget Summary
Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
I. Resource Summary
II. Methodology
- Operations and Research (O&R) Account: Drug control numbers are derived from specific budget line items that fund drug and youth alcohol-related activities.
- Highway Traffic Safety Grant Account: Drug control numbers are estimated from trends in expenditures in youth alcohol programs and by applying varying percentages to components of the grant program funding.
III. Program Summary
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) funds programs that address the problems of drug and drugged driving and prevention programs targeting zero tolerance for alcohol and drug use among youth. The agency's drug control programs are listed below by the Strategy Goal they support.
Goal 1: Educate and enable America's youth to reject illegal drug as well as alcohol and tobacco.
- Presidential Initiative on Drugs, Driving and Youth: President Clinton has called for action to reduce drugged driving and drug use in the face of increased drug use by youth (under 21 years old). A report entitled Presidential Initiative on Drugs, Driving, and Youth prepared by the Secretary of Transportation and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy has recommended that improvements be made to the Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) system -- stronger laws, more consistency in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, prevention, education, publicity, drug testing, and treatment for drug use. NHTSA will collaborate with other federal agencies and national organizations to deliver a systematic strategy to states and communities as outlined in the President's report.
- Youth Alcohol: NHTSA will continue to emphasize programs for youth. While drinking and driving has decreased even faster for youth than for adults, drivers under 21 are still over-involved in alcohol-related crashes. Extensive evidence demonstrates that both alcohol sale and drinking while driving laws are not well enforced for youth. The agency will continue to assist states and communities in developing zero tolerance laws. Specifically, the agency will continue to assist states in training traffic enforcement officers on drinking laws pertaining to youth. Enforcement demonstration projects will also highlight effective law enforcement strategies and programs. Best practices will be provided to state ABC agencies regarding the prevention of alcohol sales to minors.
- Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC): The central purpose of this program is to assist states with drugged driving programs and to provide DEC technical assistance to law enforcement agencies through the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The main goal of DEC is to increase the number of participating states to maintain a national prevention infrastructure. In addition, new initiatives will enhance the number of law enforcement officers trained in the Standard Field Sobriety Test; expand drug information and training for prosecutors and judges; and promote uniform sanctions for drug offenses.
- Highway Safety Research: This program provides funding for research on youth alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired driving. The primary focus of the alcohol and drug research program is to identify the scope and nature of the impaired driving problem, identify specific target groups and to develop associated countermeasure programs aimed at these target populations. Research is also conducted to improve methods for police enforcement of youth alcohol-impaired driving and drugged driving laws.
Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.
- Highway Traffic Safety Grants: State and local governments are key partners in working toward NHTSA's goal to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Federal aid to states and communities is available to assist this effort. Through Section 402 of the Highway Safety Act (the State and Community Highway Safety Grant Program) and Section 410 of the Highway Safety Act (the Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures Grant Program), funds are provided to states to prevent impaired driving (alcohol and drugs) through education, public information and enforcement.
IV. Budget Summary
1999 Program
- The total base program for FY 1999 is $31.5 million. This funding provides for state and local assistance and R&D activities that support Strategy Goals 1 and 2. The base program funds activities in both the Highway Traffic Safety Grant and the Operations and Research accounts.
Goal 1: Educate and enable America's youth to reject illegal drugs as well as the use of alcohol and tobacco.
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($ in millions) |
- Youth Alcohol
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$1.7 |
- Drug Evaluation and Classification
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0.9 |
- Drugs, Driving and Youth
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1.4 |
- Highway Safety Research (Drugs)
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0.3 |
- Total
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$4.3 |
Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.
| |
($ in millions) |
- Section 402 State and Community Formula Grants
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20.9 | - Section 410 Alcohol Incentive Grants
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6.3 |
- Total
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$27.2 |
2000 Request
- The total drug control budget request for FY 2000 is $32.1 million. This funding level represents an increase of about $0.6 million over the FY 1999 enacted level. The funding supports Strategy Goal 1 and Goal 2 activities.
Goal 1: Educate and enable America's youth to reject illegal drugs as well as the use of alcohol and tobacco.
The total drug control request for Goal 1 activities for FY 1999 is $4.8 million, a net increase of $0.5 million over FY 1999. The funding requested in FY 2000 will support the following Goal 1 activities:
| |
($ in millions) |
- Youth Alcohol
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$2.1 |
- Drug Evaluation and Classification
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0.9 |
- Drugs, Driving and Youth
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1.4 |
- Highway Safety Research (Drugs)
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0.3 |
- Highway Safety Research (Youth Alcohol)
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0.1 |
- Total
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$4.8 |
Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.
The total drug control request for Goal 2 activities for FY 1999 is $27.3 million, a net increase of $0.1 million over FY 1998. The 1999 request includes the following program funding levels:
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($ in millions) |
- Section 402 State and Community Formula Grants
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$20.9 |
- Section 410 Alcohol Incentive Grants
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6.4 |
- Total
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$27.3 |
V. Program Accomplishments
- In FY 1998, NHTSA worked with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to implement a grant program to prevent underage drinking. The $25 million DOJ grant program provides $360,000 to each state and additional funds are awarded competitively. In addition, as part of DOJ's Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, NHTSA worked with DOJ to develop grants to identify problems and solutions for reducing drug-related driving and underage drinking among youth.
- In May 1998, NHTSA and the North American Partnership for Responsible Hospitality held a quarterly forum on College Binge Drinking for over fifty national organizations. NHTSA also partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police to develop a drug impairment awareness curriculum for school administrators, teachers and nurses. Through NHTSA's outreach efforts, the NHTSA has obtained an official commitment from the National Organizations for Youth Safety to support Buckle Up America, Drunk and Drugged Driving Month and Safe Back to School efforts. Furthermore, the NHTSA has developed new training and materials for law enforcement, prosecutors and judges to reduce the incidence of drug use among youth.
- The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 included a provision to encourage every state to implement an alcohol "zero tolerance" law for drivers under age 21 by October 1, 1998. In June 1995, 24 states and the District of Columbia had "zero tolerance" laws in effect. As of January 1998, only four states remained without "zero tolerance" laws and 2 states with non-complying laws. By the beginning of FY 1999, all states had enacted complying laws so that no states were sanctioned.
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