Abstract
The effectiveness of a passive alcohol sensor was tested in a sobriety checkpoint situation. Use of the sensor increased the detection of drivers with BACs greater than or equal to 0.10 from 46 to 68 percent and the detection of drivers with BACs between 0.05 and 0.10 from 24 percent to 45 percent. At the same time, the rate at which drivers with low BACs were detained was reduced by half with the use of the sensor. These results indicate that a passive alcohol sensor can substantially increase both the effectiveness and the efficiency of the enforcement of laws aimed at controlling alcohol-impaired driving.