An introductory handbook for state task forces to combat drunk driving.

Lynn, Cheryl; Hauter, Rosemarie L; Johnson, David G · 1983 · ROSA P / Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC)

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Summary

This 1983 handbook, authored by Cheryl W. Lynn and colleagues for the Virginia Highway and Transportation Research Council, serves as an introductory guide for the Governor’s Task Force to Combat Drunk Driving. The document addresses the persistent and resistant nature of alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes in Virginia and nationally. It was motivated by the need to assess current countermeasures, identify gaps in enforcement and prevention, and recommend legislative and administrative improvements to the Virginia General Assembly. The text highlights that despite significant funding and efforts over the previous decade, alcohol-related crashes remained a "national epidemic," accounting for approximately 25,000 deaths annually in the U.S. and showing an increasing percentage of involvement in Virginia crashes despite overall declines in total accident rates. The handbook synthesizes historical data, legal statutes, and program evaluations to inform the task force’s four committees: enforcement, licensing/adjudication, prevention/rehabilitation, and public education. It reviews the evolution of Virginia’s drunk driving laws, tracing changes from the cumbersome pre-1972 procedures requiring blood samples and warrants to the adoption of breath testing and the establishment of Alcohol Safety Action Programs (ASAPs). The text details recent legislative changes effective July 1, 1982, which stiffened penalties for repeat offenders, mandated minimum jail sentences, and altered the role of the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). Specifically, the new laws removed VASAP as a pre-conviction diversion tool, requiring a conviction before referral, though it retained eligibility for restricted licenses. The handbook also analyzes the limitations of existing countermeasures, noting that problem drinkers—who cause the majority of fatal crashes—are less responsive to education and rehabilitation than social drinkers. Key findings indicate that alcohol-related crashes are highly resistant to standard safety interventions. The text notes that while total crashes in Virginia decreased between 1970 and the early 1980s, the proportion of those involving alcohol steadily increased. It emphasizes that the majority of fatal crashes involve drivers with high blood alcohol concentrations (often exceeding 0.20%), suggesting that heavy, chronic drinkers are the primary culprits. The handbook argues that countermeasures focusing exclusively on apprehended drivers have limited impact because most fatal crashes involve drivers with no prior arrest records. Furthermore, it concludes that general deterrence programs have modest effects on problem drinkers, while specific deterrence programs primarily impact social drinkers, who are less involved in fatal crashes. Consequently, the authors assert that significant immediate reductions in alcohol-related fatalities are unrealistic without comprehensive strategies that address both apprehended and unapprehended problem drinkers. The significance of this work lies in its role as a foundational resource for shaping Virginia’s policy response to drunk driving. By documenting the failure of previous "soft" approaches and the complexity of the offender population, the handbook supports the shift toward stricter enforcement and mandatory penalties. It underscores the necessity of coordinating management, funding, and resources across local and statewide levels. The document implies that effective combat against drunk driving requires a multifaceted approach that acknowledges the distinct behaviors of problem drinkers versus social drinkers, moving beyond simple education or isolated enforcement to include robust adjudication and public information strategies.

Key finding

Alcohol-related fatal crashes are highly resistant to highway safety efforts, with countermeasures targeting only apprehended drivers having limited impact because problem drinkers are less responsive to intervention and most crashes involve unapprehended drivers.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Topics

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• dui enforcement
• drowsy as impairment
• alcohol

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: policy recommendations, countermeasure evaluation