In late 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided funds through a Cooperative Agreement to the New Mexico Department of Transportation to demonstrate a process for implementing a comprehensive State impaired-driving system. NHTSA also contracted with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation to measure the effect of that system on various factors including driving-while-impaired (DWI) crash, injury, and fatality rates; DWI arrest rates; DWI conviction rates; blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rates; and public awareness. New Mexico’s core activities included high-visibility impaired-driving law enforcement operations, increased paid and earned media concerning New Mexico’s law enforcement efforts, and prosecutorial and enforcement training in the five counties with the highest rates of alcohol-involved fatalities. Other components of the comprehensive system include the creation of a State-wide DWI leadership team that provided support and direction to the system and the participation of a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor to assist on DWI and other traffic safety laws. The five counties initially participating in the project were Bernalillo, Doña Ana, McKinley, Rio Arriba, and San Juan. Santa Fe County joined that group in 2007. Alcohol-involved (those with BACs of.01 g/dL) fatal crashes decreased by36.5% in the participating counties during the project period of 2005 to2009. The rest of the State experienced a 31.6% reduction. Alcohol-impaired (those with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher) fatal crashes decreased by 35.8% in the participating counties during the same period. The rest of the State experienced a 29% reduction. The decrease in the participating counties was not statistically significantly different from the decrease in the rest of the State. This was likely because there were significant State-wide anti-DWI activities during that period as well. However, overall, New Mexico’s multi-faceted efforts appeared to have benefits for the State. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting