ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND CRIME DUI Trends and Countermeasures  Association for Criminal Justice Research  McClellan, CA  March 17, 2005 Cliff Helander, Chief, California DMV Research

Drunk Driving: is it a crime?  Most (2/3) adult Americans drink alcohol  20% of adults drive above 0.08% BAC at least once per year  QUESTION: THERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, GO I?

There, but for the grace?….NO!  Less than 1% chance that DUI will lead to arrest  Probability of arrest while DUI is 1 in 140  Which means a DUI arrestee will have driven drunk, on average, more than 100 times before being caught, and  The average BAC at DUI arrest = 0.16%, which is DOUBLE THE LEGAL LIMIT

DUI SANCTIONS AND COUNTERMEASURES  Fine  Jail  License suspension  1915 California Vehicle Code (CVC): penalty for first conviction of DUI = $500 fine or 6 months in jail, plus one year license suspension

DUI COUNTERMEASURES WHAT DOESN’T WORK? Jail Fines

DUI COUNTERMEASURES IN CALIFORNIA: WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE REFORM Report to the Legislature In Accord With Senate Bill 776 (Torlakson) September 2002

DUI COUNTERMEASURES LICENSE SUSPENSION WORKS *Reduces subsequent crashes and convictions 30% to 80% compared to similar drivers not suspended *Up to 75% of suspended drivers continue to drive…but less often and more carefully…which explains the effectiveness of license suspension

DUI COUNTERMEASURES WHAT WORKS?  EFFECTIVE DRIVER-BASED COUNTERMEASURES  Minimum drinking age laws  Per se BAC laws  Administrative per se license suspension laws  “Zero-Tolerance” laws for youth  Post-conviction license action  Alcohol treatment programs  House arrest in lieu of jail  Sobriety checkpoints

Effectiveness of Alcohol Treatment Programs: California DMV Research Studies  Sadler & Perrine (1984), Tashima & Peck (1986): Second offender DUI treatment reduces recidivism by 9% to 24%  Tashima & Marelich (1989): Second offender DUI treatment reduces recidivism & alcohol-related crashes  DeYoung (1995): All 3 levels of DDP treatment reduce DUI recidivism  Tashima & Helander (2005): 13-year review of annual DUI-MIS reports: second offender DUI treatment consistently reduces recidivism and alcohol-involved crashes; results less conclusive for first-offender programs

DUI COUNTERMEASURES WHAT WORKS?  EFFECTIVE VEHICLE-BASED COUNTERMEASURES  Vehicle impoundment or immobilization  Ignition interlock  OTHER COUNTERMEASURES IMPACTING ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING  Seat belts  Graduated driver licensing  Alcoholic beverage control

DUI COUNTERMEASURES WHAT MIGHT WORK?  Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) BAC testing of all crash- involved drivers  Designated drivers and safe rides programs  Alternative treatment modalities, including pharmaceutical treatment

TORLAKSON REPORT (SB 776) MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS Pharmaceutical treatment of convicted DUI offenders Alcoholic beverage control Reduce crashes associated with on-premise drinking Increase DUI prevention efforts, especially those targeting youth

Percent of California Traffic Fatalities that are Alcohol-Involved