Louisiana’s Alcohol-Impaired Driving Problem: An Analysis of Crash and Cultural Factors: Research Project Capsule 18-2SA

Shipp, Eva · 2018 · ROSA P / Louisiana Transportation Research Center

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Summary

This document is a research project capsule for study 18-2SA, titled "Louisiana’s Alcohol-Impaired Driving Problem: An Analysis of Crash and Cultural Factors." The project was initiated on August 1, 2018, with a planned duration of 24 months, ending July 31, 2020. It was sponsored jointly by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and Louisiana State University, with Eva Shipp, Ph.D., serving as the Principal Investigator from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. The research addresses the persistent issue of alcohol-impaired driving in Louisiana, which accounts for more than 30% of all vehicle fatalities in the state, despite a general downward trend in such incidents over recent years. The study is motivated by the need to understand the individual and system-wide influences contributing to this problem, particularly the varying social and cultural factors across different regions. While alcohol use rates are generally lower in North Louisiana compared to the south, several northern parishes still exceed national averages, indicating a complex landscape of risk that requires thorough analysis by DOTD, law enforcement, and other highway safety stakeholders. The methodology involves a multi-faceted approach to data collection and analysis. The research team will synthesize existing resources through online searches of libraries, catalogs, and databases. To understand attitudes toward impaired driving, the team will explore behavioral data systems maintained by the Louisiana Department of Health and the Substance Abuse + Mental Health Services Administration. Primary data collection includes an online survey administered to Louisiana households to assess driver attitudes regarding risk-taking and impaired driving. Additionally, focus groups targeting 18-34-year-olds will be conducted across various areas of the state to capture cultural differences between North and South Louisiana, extending beyond typical college campus demographics. Analytical methods include identifying risk factors using crash records and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Time-based and spatial statistical methods will be employed to compare the time, location, and severity of alcohol-impaired versus non-impaired crashes. Crash prediction models will be developed to quantitatively assess the effect of alcohol consumption on crash occurrence. A key deliverable is the development of an interactive web-based tool integrated with BRFSS information and a map interface to assist analysts in systemic risk assessment. The significance of this study lies in its potential to identify specific cultural and risk factors associated with alcohol-impaired driving in Louisiana. By providing a comprehensive understanding of these influences and offering a tool for risk assessment, the project aims to enhance Louisiana highway safety and support continued reductions in alcohol-impaired traffic crashes.

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Topics

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• traffic safety culture
• cultural cross national
• alcohol

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes