PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Underage drinking and its associated problems are a challenge to parents, teachers, highway and traffic safety law enforcement personnel, and the community at large in Travis County, Texas. Travis County is home to many colleges and universities, and its appeal to youth is further enhanced by attractive recreational facilities. However, according to 1996 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) crash data, 53 percent of all traffic fatalities were alcohol-related; and of those fatalities, 43 percent involved victims under the age of 21. The problem of underage impaired driving has become more apparent since September 1, 1997, when Texas adopted a "zero tolerance" law, bringing more youth through the judicial system.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Travis County Underage Drinking Prevention Program was the reduction of fatalities and injuries resulting from underage drinking and impaired driving. Some objectives of the program were to:

• Develop creative community service options for sentencing of adjudicated youth
• Identify links between underage drinking and other social issues, such as binge drinking, HIV exposure, teen pregnancy, juvenile crime, date rape and truancy
• Form alliances among community groups that address underage drinking
• Provide alcohol education and prevention activities to youth in county high schools and middle schools
• Develop a multi-media based, community-wide prevention and education program targeting youth

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Travis County Underage Drinking Prevention Program was initiated as a demonstration program in 1996 through the efforts of the Texas Department of Transportation in collaboration with the Travis County Attorney's Office; and today serves as a "clearinghouse" of information on alcohol-related and other traffic safety issues for jurisdictions throughout the state. Using a successful program developed in Washington, DC as a model, the Underage Drinking Prevention Program sponsors a variety of activities in order to meet its goals and objectives:

• A bi-monthly cable television talk show, Focus on Youth and Alcohol
• An information series targeted to youth in the workplace
• Coordinating activities with other groups and agencies, preventing duplicative efforts
• Development of public information and education materials targeted to, and disseminated to, incoming freshmen at local colleges and universities
• Presentations conducted at local high schools and middle schools
• Collaboration with other agencies and groups on Project Celebration (alcohol-free proms and graduation parties) activities
• Promotion of seasonal federal campaigns such as Campaign Safe & Sober