From 1984 through 1986, Dane County had a three-year average of 27 fatalities, 838 injuries and 683 property damage crashes related to alcohol. In those three years, an average of 259 alcohol-related crashes involved drivers under 21. In 1987, Dane County government adopted a Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) to combat impaired driving. In Dane County, 35 percent of the population is 21-34 years old, the most problematic age group for impaired driving. Statewide, by comparison, 21-34 year olds account for only 15 percent of the population. Fast-growing Dane County also possesses the most liquor-licensed establishments (864) of all the state's urbanized counties.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals of the DRIVING FORCE program are to:

• Reduce the number and severity of alcohol-related crashes by five percent a year
• Reduce youth (under 21) alcohol crashes by 75 a year
• Increase the public's awareness of impaired driving as a serious community problem
• Establish long-term alternative behavior patterns that are inconsistent with impaired driving
• Achieve administrative self-sufficiency
• Develop innovative solutions to reduce impaired driving.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

A community task force of 33 (business, media, government, medical, education, advocacy) became the DRIVING FORCE in 1988 and continue to advise the program and its two full-time staff. Activities include: intensified case handling for multiple offenders, an underage violator program, a "safe ride" program, a subsidized cab fare program with $20 worth of coupons for $10, and an initiative to strengthen SADD chapters. Other innovative programs are:

• Cross-age (college to high school) mentorship that brings trained college students into high schools to talk about what college life is really like and what they can do besides drink
• Operation NightCAP (Nighttime Concentrated Alcohol Patrol) that deploys 20-25 officers in saturation patrols to two or three locations promoting alternative, alcohol-free activities.

Currently Dane County DRIVING FORCE is embarking on a reward incentive program called "GET REAL Behind the Wheel" as one of the National Commission Against Drunk Driving's four test communities to develop effective programs to reduce impaired driving by 21-34 year olds.

RESULTS

	'84-'86	'95	Decline
Alcohol-related fatalities	27	11	59 percent
Injuries	862	578	33 percent
Alcohol-related crashes	1272	762	40 percent
Percent of all crashes that are alcohol-related	14.5 percent	7 percent	7.5 percent
Percent of fatalities with alcohol involved	50 percent	33 percent	17 percent

In addition, alcohol-related crashes of youth under 21 were reduced by 75 percent. After six months, 79 percent of the public recognized the name Operation NightCAP and 84 percent approved of the program. About 600 coupon booklets have been sold with orders for more.

The program is now completely funded by local tax dollars, with two full-time positions and a budget of about $95,000.