In the summer of 1994, Minnesota's seat belt use by the general population was only 57 percent -- 58 percent in the seven-county metropolitan area around Minneapolis/St. Paul and 54 percent in Greater Minnesota. Usage in fatal and serious injury crashes was far lower. That year, 35 percent of crash-related deaths involved alcohol and 15 percent involved illegal or unsafe speed. These problems appeared to be pervasive across the state.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Increasing seat belt use by three percentage points and decreasing alcohol involvement by one percentage point. To this end, Minnesota planned to:

• Increase the reach of traffic enforcement
• Strengthen the media component of enforcement projects
• Ensure that officers are well trained and motivated
• Strengthen the public's perception that traffic violations are likely to have a negative affect on health and pocketbook.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Minnesota's Safe & Sober Communities is based on the NHTSA Campaign Safe & Sober initiative. Because of weather conditions, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) identified the time periods for activity to be centered around Christmas, high school proms, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

OTS wrote and distributed a request for proposals for Safe & Sober enhanced enforcement projects to cities and counties. Twenty-two proposals were received; fourteen grants were written covering 34 police or sheriff departments. All grantees attended a day-long meeting, at which they had ample opportunity to talk to each other and receive background information and tips on implementation from the OTS and its media relations contractor. Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and Occupant Protection Usage and Enforcement (OPUE) training were provided without cost to grantees.

RESULTS

Due largely to the Safe & Sober effort, seat belt use rose eight points to 65 percent in the summer of 1995. The metro area rose 10 points, while the rest of the state rose two points. Due to low response rate to the request for proposals from the Greater Minnesota area, only three projects were funded and completed, as compared to 10 in the metropolitan area. A longer lead time and media coverage rectified this before the second year began.

FUNDING Section 402:   $380,792 State: $114,890 CONTACT Susie Palmer Office of Traffic Safety Department of Public Safety Suite 100B, Town Square 444 Cedar Street St Paul, MN 55101-2156 (612) 296-8512

The media responded well to the project. At least one network-affiliated television station covered the program during each of the four enforcement waves, and all three covered the kick-off. Moreover, releases and announcements were reported in newspapers and on radio stations.

During project hours, thousands of drivers were warned or cited for driving at dangerous speeds or failing to wear their seat belts or place children in child safety seats. A total of 720 impaired drivers were taken off Minnesota's roadways. Preliminary fatality figures on the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities for 1995 indicate that Minnesota had 597 fatalities in 1995. Compared to the 644 people killed in crashes in 1994, this represents 47 fewer fatalities, a seven-percent reduction.