Evaluation of Kentucky's "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign

Agent, Kenneth R.; Green, Eric R.; Langely, Ronald E. · 2002 · ROSA P / University of Kentucky Transportation Center

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Summary

This report evaluates the effectiveness of Kentucky’s “You Drink and Drive. You Lose” campaign, a comprehensive impaired driving initiative conducted around the 2002 Labor Day holiday. Selected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the campaign combined intensive law enforcement with widespread publicity to reduce alcohol-related crashes. The study aimed to document campaign activities and assess their impact on crash rates, driver awareness, and self-reported behavior. The evaluation methodology integrated crash data analysis, enforcement statistics, and public surveys. Crash data from the 13-day campaign period in 2002 were compared against the same periods in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Two metrics were used: single-vehicle crashes between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. as a surrogate for alcohol involvement, and crashes explicitly listing alcohol or drugs as a factor. Enforcement data summarized arrests, citations, and checkpoint activities conducted by the Kentucky State Police and local agencies. Public perception was measured via telephone surveys of adult drivers and written questionnaires administered at driver licensing offices and high schools, conducted both before and after the campaign. Results indicated a reduction in crash metrics during the campaign period. Single-vehicle nighttime crashes decreased by 14%, with injuries and fatalities dropping by 21% compared to the three-year average. Crashes involving alcohol or drugs decreased by 9%, though this reduction was not statistically significant. Enforcement efforts were substantial, yielding 1,454 DUI arrests, 769 drug arrests, and 465 checkpoints involving 683 officers. Publicity, primarily through television, radio, and billboards, significantly increased awareness of the campaign and its specific details. However, surveys revealed no significant change in self-reported driving behavior or perceived risk of arrest. While awareness of sobriety checkpoints increased, the perceived likelihood of being stopped for drunk driving actually decreased slightly. Most respondents believed current enforcement and penalties were too weak. The study concludes that while the campaign successfully raised public awareness and coincided with a reduction in crash numbers, it did not alter driver behavior or perceptions of enforcement risk. The findings suggest that while publicity and enforcement are effective at increasing visibility, they may not be sufficient on their own to change self-reported behaviors or deterrence perceptions. The data support continued efforts toward increased enforcement and stricter penalties to further impact alcohol-related crashes.

Key finding

Single-vehicle night crashes decreased by 14 percent and associated injuries and fatalities dropped by 21 percent during the campaign period compared to the previous three years.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 1012

Provenance

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Topics

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• dui enforcement
• public messaging
• seat belt use

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence