Virginia--Smart, Safe and Sober

Smart, Safe and Sober

VIRGINIA

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS		PROGRAM AREA(S)
	Outstanding collaborative effort		Occupant Protection
			Alcohol and Other Drugs

TYPE OF JURISDICTION
	State

TARGETED POPULATION(S)		JURISDICTION SIZE
	General Population		5,500,000

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In 1997, Virginia traffic safety officials noted an alarming increase in motor vehicle crash fatalities statewide. During the first half of the year, there were 70 more fatal crashes than for the same period in 1996. In an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities related to motor vehicle crashes, Drive Smart Virginia, a nonprofit organization became a joint sponsor of the Smart, Safe and Sober program.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Smart, Safe and Sober program was developed in 1997 as a cooperative effort involving the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, Virginia Sheriff's Association, Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign. The goal of this comprehensive program is to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities through the following objectives:

Aggressive enforcement of traffic and occupant protection laws
High visibility selective enforcement campaigns
Conducting a public information and education campaign about the dangers associated with speeding, aggressive driving and impaired driving

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Smart, Safe and Sober program is an 18-month effort consisting of 6 enforcement wave periods. Each enforcement wave continues for 3 months, and focuses on a specific traffic safety issue. Prior to each wave, a pre-survey on occupant protection use is conducted, along with a public education media campaign, to inform motorists of the planned enforcement. Target waves include:

Wave #1: Speed Enforcement (conducted from April to June 1997)
Wave #2: Young Drivers (conducted from April to June 1997)
Wave #3: Impaired Driving (conducted from October to December 1997)
Wave #4: Occupant Protection (conducted from January to March 1998)
Wave #5: Aggressive Driving (in effect from April to June 1998)
Wave #6: Young Drivers (scheduled from July to September 1998)

Law enforcement saturation patrols and checkpoints provide the principal support for the focus of each wave. After each enforcement wave, a post-survey of occupant protection use is conducted, to help determine the effects of that wave.

RESULTS
The four coordinated state and local law enforcement efforts conducted during the past year have resulted in more than 100,000 citations for speeding and seat belt/child safety seat violations. Arrests have also been made for other offenses, including impaired driving, reckless driving and narcotics violations.

FUNDING
	Section 402:	$25,000
CONTACT
	Nancy Rodrigues Executive Director Drive Smart Virginia 100 Concourse Boulevard Glenallen, VA 23060 (804) 346-3205

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Spring 1998