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Preventing Alcohol-impaired Driving Through Community Self-regulation Training

NCJ Number
116000
Journal
American Journal of Public Health Volume: 79 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1989) Pages: 287-290
Author(s)
J K Worden; B S Flynn; D G Merrill; J A Waller; L D Haugh
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This evaluation of a community education program designed to train individual drinkers to self-regulate their blood alcohol concentration below a level of impairment concluded that such a program can be effective in preventing alcohol-impaired driving.
Abstract
Customers of bars and licensed beverage outlets received drink calculators consisting of cardboard wheels and wallet cards. Bartenders and counter clerks were trained to demonstrate the use of the calculators, and demonstrations were presented in television spots. The calculators showed the number of drinks likely to produce a blood alcohol content of 0.05 g/dl, a level at which impairment of driving skills begins to be perceptible for most people. The program components were evaluated in three matched Vermont communities, one receiving the full community education program, one receiving the television spots only, and one serving as control. After 6 months of intervention, a roadside survey of 892 nighttime drivers indicated 5.3 percent fewer drivers with blood alcohol content above 0.05 g/dl in the community program group and 1.0 percent fewer in the television-only group compared to the control group. However, substantially fewer drivers were found to be above 0.00 blood alcohol in either program community than in the control. Drivers reporting heavy drinking and youthful drivers both indicated higher use of the materials than did other drivers. Tables and 11 references. (Author abstract modified)