Citation

Hedlund JH. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1997; 1997: 29-35.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the United States dropped substantially from the early 1980's to the mid 1990's. The number of alcohol-related fatalities dropped 34%, from 25,170 in 1982 to 16,580 in 1994, and the proportion of traffic fatalities involving alcohol dropped from 57% in 1982 to 41% in 1994. Many factors contributed to these gains. Citizen activist groups were instrumental in attracting substantial media attention to drunk driving and raising it on the national agenda. Laws were passed; enforcement increased; sentences became stiffer.