NCJ Number
69189
Date Published
1976
Length
87 pages
Annotation
THIS BRITISH REPORT ON EFFORTS TO DETER DRINKING AND DRIVING DISCUSSES THE ROAD SAFETY ACT, WHICH TESTS DRIVERS FOR ALCOHOL. IT RECOMMENDS THE LAW ALLOW POLICE GREATER POWER TO TEST AND APPREHEND OFFENDERS.
Abstract
ALCOHOL ACCOUNTS FOR AT LEAST ONE-TENTH OF ALL ROAD DEATHS AND INJURIES IN BRITAIN, AND THE PROPORTION IS GROWING. HOWEVER, EARLY EFFECTS OF THE ROAD SAFETY ACT (RSA), PASSED IN 1967, SHOW THAT PROPER LEGISLATION CAN REDUCE DRUNK DRIVING. THE RSA DEFINED ILLEGAL AMOUNTS OF DRINKING WHILE DRIVING BY BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS AND MANDATED BREATH ANALYSIS OF SUSPICIOUS DRIVERS. CONVICTIONS FOR DRINKING AND DRIVING ROSE TO 69,000 AND ROAD DEATHS DROPPED BY 1,000 AS DRUNK DRIVERS WERE DETERRED. HOWEVER, THE FALL IN CASUALTY RATES HAS SINCE WORN OFF AS DRINKING CONTINUES TO RISE AMONG BRITISH CITIZENS, EFFECTS OF THE INITIAL RSA PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ARE LOST, AND DRINKING DRIVERS AGAIN BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE CAUGHT. FUTURE POLICE EFFORTS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVERS SHOULD BE HIGHLY VISIBLE TO PERSUADE THEM OF THE RISKS INVOLVED, ALTHOUGH CHANGES IN THE LAW HINDERING ARREST AND PROSECUTION OF DRINKING DRIVERS WILL BE NEEDED FIRST. PRESENTLY, DRUNK DRIVERS ESCAPE THROUGH TOO MANY LOOPHOLES, SINCE POLICE MUST PROVE IN COURT THAT STRICT PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED IN GIVING THE BREATH TEST AND ARE FORBIDDEN FROM USING IT IN TOO MANY CIRCUMSTANCES. ALTHOUGH THE BREATH TEST ANALYZING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION IS EFFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RETAINED, A DEVICE MORE CLEARLY INDICATING PASSING OR FAILURE SHOULD BE USED. ALSO, CONSTABLES SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO STOP MOTORISTS FOR A BREATH TEST AT THEIR DISCRETION, AND PUNISHMENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE A YEAR'S SUSPENSION FOR DRUNK DRIVING, WITH A GREATER PENALTY AVAILABLE FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS. ANTIDRINKING AND DRIVING PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION SHOULD CONTINUE, WITH YOUNG DRIVERS AS SPECIAL TARGET GROUPS, AND CHANGES IN THE LIQUOR LAWS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. TABLES, CHARTS AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES PRESENT STATISTICAL DATA, BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND DRIVING, THE PRESENT AND PROPOSED DRUNK DRIVING LAW, AND RELATED INFORMATION.