RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Studies of alcohol-related harm (violence, injury, illness) suggest that the most significant risk factors are the amount of alcohol consumed and whether obviously intoxicated patrons continue to be served. This study's objective was to investigate the effects of a responsible beverage service (RBS)/enhanced alcohol enforcement intervention on bars, bar patrons, and impaired driving. METHOD: Two communities-Monroe County, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio-participated in a demonstration program and evaluation. The intervention applied RBS training, targeted enforcement, and corrective actions by law enforcement to a random sample of 10 identified problem bars in each community compared to 10 matched nonintervention problem bars. Data were collected over 3 waves on bar serving practices, bar patron intoxication, drinking and driving, and other alcohol-related harm from intervention and control bars and treatment and comparison communities. RESULTS: In Monroe County, New York, of the 14 outcome measures analyzed, 7 measures showed statistically significant differences from pre- to postintervention. Six of those measures indicated changes in the desired or positive direction and 2 measures were in the undesired or negative direction. Of note in the positive direction, the percentage of intervention bar patrons who were intoxicated decreased from 44 to 27% and the average blood alcohol concentration of patrons decreased from 0.097 to 0.059 g/dL pre- to postintervention. In Cleveland, Ohio, 6 of the 14 measures showed statistically significant changes pre- to postintervention with 6 in the positive direction and 4 in the negative direction. Of note, the percentage of pseudo-intoxicated patrons denied service in intervention bars increased from 6 to 29%. CONCLUSIONS: Of the 14 outcome measures that were analyzed in each community, most indicated positive changes associated with the intervention, but others showed negative associations. About half of the measures showed no significance, the sample sizes were too small, or the data were unavailable. Therefore, at best, the results of these demonstration programs were mixed. There were, however, some positive indications from the intervention. It appears that when bar managers and owners are aware of the program and its enforcement and when servers are properly trained in RBS, fewer patrons may become intoxicated and greater efforts may be made to deny service to obviously intoxicated patrons. Given that about half of arrested impaired drivers had their last drink at a licensed establishment, widespread implementation of this strategy has the potential to help reduce impaired driving.
Asunto(s)
Bebidas Alcohólicas/provisión & distribución , Intoxicación Alcohólica/prevención & control , Conducir bajo la Influencia/prevención & control , Aplicación de la Ley , Restaurantes/legislación & jurisprudencia , Responsabilidad Social , Adulto , Nivel de Alcohol en Sangre , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , New York , Ohio , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
There are many variations of supervision and probation programs for driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders. These programs include case-specific restrictions (e.g., individualized conditions to probation), unsupervised probation, basic supervision probation (e.g., regularly scheduled visits to probation services with varying frequency), and intensive supervision probation (which may involve many program components and close monitoring). Offenders who receive monitoring through intensive supervision programs (ISPs) have more contact with probation officers, a judge, or other designated authorities compared to standard (nonintensive) probation programs. Three ISPs were evaluated: the Minnesota Staggered Sentencing Program, the Westchester County New York DWI Enforcement Program, and the Oregon Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) Intensive Supervision Program (DISP). The Minnesota program appeared to be successful in reducing offender recidivism in a relatively small ISP (n=200 offenders in the program). Compared to a similar matched group of DWI offenders, the staggered sentencing offenders had a significant 30.6% lower recidivism rate (p=.017) up to 4 years postoffense. The program prevented an estimated 15 to 23 re-arrests for DWI. Compared to a matched group of offenders, the Westchester County program appeared to be effective in the short term (18.1% lower recidivism in 5 years postoffense [p<.001]) but not in the long term (only 5.4% [p=.171] lower recidivism in 15 years postoffense). This program resulted in an estimated 78 fewer re-arrests for DWI in the first 5 years. The Oregon DISP intervention group had 54.1% lower recidivism up to 8 years postindex offense than both of the stratified matched-sample comparison groups, adjusting for the demographic covariates (Wald=51.50; p>.001). The program prevented 67 re-arrests for DWI in the first 8 years. The benefit/cost of ISPs appears to be very good for the prevention of re-arrests.
Asunto(s)
Criminales , Aplicación de la Ley , Intoxicación Alcohólica , Conducción de Automóvil , Conducir bajo la Influencia , Humanos , Minnesota , OregonRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: We examined the extent to which driving under the influence (DUI) offenders delay reinstatement, the reasons for that delay, and the relationship of the delay to recidivism. Analyzed were the driving records of 40 million drivers (3 million convicted of DUI) from 7 of the largest states spanning 7 to 14 years. License suspension effectively reduces, but does not eliminate, impaired driving. Apparently, many feel they can avoid apprehension for unlicensed driving; the limited research to date suggests that up to 75% of convicted offenders continue to drive and up to 84% delay reinstatement for 3 or more years. METHODS: ANOVA and regression procedures were used to determine the relationship of prior driving record and sentence length to the DUI offender's delay in reinstatement. Meta-analysis was used to summarize results across the 7 states and survival analysis to determine the effect of the delay on recidivism. RESULTS: Forty-two percent of first offenders and 55% of multiple offenders convicted for DUI delay reinstatement for more than a year. For a third of the offenders, there were no records of their having reinstated within 5 years of becoming eligible. Both factors-more than one prior offense and the length of suspension imposed-were related to delay in reinstatement. Offenders who delayed reinstatement were more likely to recidivate both while they delayed before reinstating and after they reinstated. CONCLUSIONS: DUI offenders who delay reinstatement after they become eligible are high-risk drivers. Offenders who reinstate, however, have lower recidivism rates than those who do not. This suggests that encouraging reinstatement but with continued controls, as some states have provided through laws requiring interlocks as a condition of reinstatement, may be effective if they do not motivate extended delays.
Asunto(s)
Intoxicación Alcohólica/epidemiología , Conducción de Automóvil/legislación & jurisprudencia , Conducción de Automóvil/psicología , Criminales/legislación & jurisprudencia , Criminales/psicología , Intoxicación Alcohólica/psicología , Humanos , Factores de Tiempo , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Two types of transdermal electrochemical sensors that detect alcohol at the skin surface were evaluated. One, the AMS SCRAM device, is locked onto the ankle and is based on a fuel cell sensor; the other, a Giner WrisTAS device, worn on the wrist, is based on a proton exchange membrane. SCRAM is used by several court systems in the United States to monitor alcohol offenders, WrisTAS, a research prototype, is not commercially available. METHODS: The 2 devices were worn concurrently by 22 paid research subjects (15 men, 7 women), for a combined total of 96 weeks. Subjects participated in both laboratory-dosed drinking to a target of 0.08 g/dl blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and normal drinking on their own; all subjects were trained to use and carry a portable fuel-cell breath tester for BAC determinations. Overall 271 drinking episodes with BAC > or = 0.02 g/dl formed the signal for detection-60 from laboratory dosing, and 211 from self-dosed drinking, with BAC ranging from 0.02 to 0.230 g/dl (mean 0.077 g/dl). RESULTS: False negatives were defined as a transdermal alcohol concentration response equivalent <0.02 g/dl when BAC > or = 0.02 g/dl. The overall true-positive hit rate detected by WrisTAS was 24%. The low detection rate was due to erratic output and not recording during nearly 67% of all episodes; reportedly a chipset, not a sensor problem. SCRAM correctly detected 57% across all BAC events, with another 22% (total 79%) detected, but as <0.02 g/dl. When subjects dosed themselves to BAC > or = 0.08 g/dl, SCRAM correctly detected 88% of these events. SCRAM devices lost accuracy over time likely due to water accumulation in the sensor housing. Neither unit had false-positive problems when true BAC was <0.02 g/dl. CONCLUSIONS: Each device had peculiarities that reduced performance, but both types are able to detect alcohol at the skin surface. With product improvements, transdermal sensing may become a valuable way to monitor the alcohol consumption of those who should be abstaining.
Asunto(s)
Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas/prevención & control , Técnicas Electroquímicas/instrumentación , Técnicas Electroquímicas/métodos , Etanol/sangre , Adulto , Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas/legislación & jurisprudencia , Reacciones Falso Negativas , Femenino , Humanos , Jurisprudencia , Masculino , Monitoreo Fisiológico/instrumentación , Monitoreo Fisiológico/métodos , Fenómenos Fisiológicos de la PielRESUMEN
Each year over 600 people die and more than 4000 are reported injured in recreational boating accidents. As with most other accidents, human error is the major contributor. U.S. Coast Guard reports of 3358 accidents were analyzed to identify errors in each of the boat types by which statistics are compiled: auxiliary (motor) sailboats, cabin motorboats, canoes and kayaks, house boats, personal watercraft, open motorboats, pontoon boats, row boats, sail-only boats. The individual errors were grouped into categories on the basis of similarities in the behavior involved. Those presented here are the categories accounting for at least 5% of all errors when summed across boat types. The most revealing and significant finding is the extent to which the errors vary across types. Since boating is carried out with one or two types of boats for long periods of time, effective accident prevention measures, including safety instruction, need to be geared to individual boat types.
Asunto(s)
Accidentes/estadística & datos numéricos , Recreación , Navíos , Prevención de Accidentes , Humanos , Recreación/psicología , Seguridad , Análisis y Desempeño de Tareas , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
The growing recognition of the problem presented by illicit vehicle operation by those whose license has been suspended for driving while intoxicated (DWI) has led to the increasing use of vehicle sanctions. These sanctions include vehicle impoundment and forfeiture, vehicle registration cancellation, and vehicle interlocks as penalties for DWI and driving while suspended (DWS). This article reviews the current information available on the use and effectiveness of vehicle sanctions for reducing offender recidivism. In the United States, 14 states have impoundment laws that are widely used as sanctions for both DWI and DWS, with the length of the impoundment increasing with the number of previous offenses. These laws have been shown to reduce recidivism while the vehicle is in custody and, to a lesser extent, even after the vehicle has been released. Vehicle impoundment is also widely used in Canada and New Zealand. Although a larger number of U.S. states have laws providing for vehicle forfeiture for DWI or DWS, this sanction tends to be limited to multiple offenders and therefore impacts fewer drivers. Cancellation of the vehicle registration and the confiscation of the vehicle plates are increasing in popularity because the vehicle tags are the property of the state, rather than the vehicle owner. Vehicle alcohol interlocks have proven to be an effective method for reducing DWI offender recidivism while they are on the car, but appear to produce only limited post-treatment behavior change. Interlocks are widely used in the United States and Canada and are beginning to be implemented in Europe and Australia. The issues that arise in implementing vehicle sanction programs are discussed and the actions taken by states to deal with them are described.
Asunto(s)
Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas , Conducción de Automóvil/legislación & jurisprudencia , Automóviles/legislación & jurisprudencia , Canadá , Europa (Continente) , Humanos , Minnesota , Recurrencia , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Recent research indicates that cell phone use can distract drivers from safe vehicle operation. However, estimates of the prevalence of cell phone use while driving have been limited to daytime hours and low-speed roadways. This paper describes the results of a study to estimate rates of cell phone use and other distractions by examining approximately 40,000 high-quality digital photographs of vehicles and drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike. The photographs, which originally were collected as part of a separate study, were taken both during the day and during the night and at different locations across the span of the Turnpike. A radar gun linked to the camera recorded the speeds of vehicles as they passed. This provided us with the speeds of every vehicle photographed, and allowed us to determine population counts of vehicles. A panel of three trained coders examined each photograph and recorded the presence of cell phone use by the drivers or any other distracting behavior. Demographic information on the driver was obtained during previous examinations of the photographs for an unrelated study. A rating was considered reliable when two out of the three coders agreed. Population estimates (and confidence intervals) of cell phone use and other distractions were estimated by weighting the cases by the inverse probability of vehicle selection. Logistic regression was used to predict cell phone use from demographic and situational factors. The results indicated that the most frequent distraction was cell phone use: 1.5% of the drivers on the Turnpike were using cell phones compared to the 3 to 4% use rates reported in the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) surveys conducted during the daytime on lower speed roadways. The Turnpike survey indicated that cell phones were used less on weekends and at night, and when the driver was exceeding the speed limit or had a passenger in the car.
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Conducción de Automóvil/estadística & datos numéricos , Teléfono Celular/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Ingestión de Alimentos , Análisis Factorial , Femenino , Humanos , Relaciones Interpersonales , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , FumarRESUMEN
The per-mile accident rate of 16-year-old novices is approximately 10 times that of adults, a difference that has been attributed to the immaturity of youth and the errors of inexperience. Research separating the two influences shows that, over the first few years, the effects of experience greatly exceed those of age, with reductions of approximately two-thirds in the first 500 miles of driving. A study was undertaken to identify the behavioral antecedents of young driver accidents, including any subset of antecedents that could account for the inordinately high initial accident rate. Narrative descriptions of more than 2000 accidents involving 16-19-year-old drivers in two states were analyzed for behavioral contributors. The great majority of non-fatal accidents resulted from errors in attention, visual search, speed relative to conditions, hazard recognition, and emergency maneuvers, with high speeds and patently risky behavior accounting for but a small minority. Differences in the types of errors by first year novices and more experienced youth were relatively few in number and small in magnitude, indicating that the benefits of experience apply rather generally across all aspects of driving.
Asunto(s)
Accidentes de Tránsito/estadística & datos numéricos , Conducción de Automóvil/estadística & datos numéricos , Análisis y Desempeño de Tareas , Adolescente , Adulto , California , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , MarylandRESUMEN
The legal limits of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for operators of commercial vehicles throughout the United States, and underage drivers in most states, are approximately half the 0.08-0.10% imposed on other drivers. Easily administered measures involving performance and appearance are needed to establish probable cause for requesting breath tests. Several measures showing relationships to blood alcohol were examined for their ability to distinguish BACs under and over 0.04% within the 0.00-0.08% range. Measures of heat loss. pupillary response, balance, complex tasks, and accuracy under speed were studied in controlled experiments with alcohol-dosed subjects. The only reliable index of blood alcohol was horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) as administered in the standardized field sobriety test (SFST), using alternative scoring criteria. Although other measures evidenced intra-individual change at low BACs, the magnitude of change was greatly exceeded by inter-individual differences, thwarting their use in detecting drivers with BACs lower than 0.08%. HGN, however, proved as valid in detecting BACs in the 0.04-0.08% range as at the higher levels of the SFST. It is also as valid when administered to a seated subject as one standing, making it of particular benefit in enforcement, where the behavior of low BAC drivers rarely provides probable cause to request that they leave a vehicle to be tested in a standing position.