NCJ Number
122468
Date Published
1987
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Drunk driving cannot be adequately addressed through the criminal justice system alone; the problem requires broad-based social action and community participation in a variety of efforts.
Abstract
Since Ontario (Canada) mounted a province-wide program in November 1983 to counter drunk driving, the number of fatal accidents and the percentage of impaired drivers involved in such accidents has significantly decreased. The effort has involved new legislation and tougher penalties for drunk driving. The criminal justice action, however, is not adequate to address the behaviors, values, and disorders underlying drunk driving. The effort must be community-based and involve the cooperation of government agencies and private organizations committed to reducing drunk driving. Persons and organizations involved in alcohol and drug education, treatment, and rehabilitation, as well as criminal justice personnel and agencies must mount a coordinated and comprehensive program to counter drunk driving. Efforts should focus on the cultivation of self-regulation among citizens regarding the responsibility not to drive while impaired.