CALIFORNIA
Underage Drinking and Driving
Reduction and Prevention Program

 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Targets hard-to-reach/at risk population
High media visibility
  Alcohol and Other Drugs
       
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  State    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  Youth   33,280,000


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
California traffic crash statistics indicate that, in 1995, underage drinkers were involved in 14 percent of motor vehicle crash fatalities. During that year, a total of 116 teenaged drivers were killed in alcohol-related crashes and 1,994 teenaged drivers and passengers were injured. A 1997 statewide report indicated that male teenagers who drink and drive are 18 times more likely to die in a traffic crash than male teenagers who do not drink and drive. Female teenagers who drive while drinking are 54 times more likely to die in crashes when compared with their non-drinking peers.


GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
To address serious concerns about underage impaired driving, the Crime and Violence Prevention Center (CVPC) of California's Office of the Attorney General developed the Underage Drinking and Driving Reduction and Prevention Program in 1997. The primary goal of the program was to reduce fatalities and injuries suffered by teenaged drivers and their passengers involved in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. Program objectives are to:

  • Create a statewide prevention program targeting underage drinkers who drive
  • Develop a multimedia campaign to promote the new prevention program
  • Form partnerships among traffic safety advocates
  • Develop and distribute underage drinking and driving prevention materials


STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Underage Drinking and Driving Reduction and Prevention Program was designed to act as a platform for dealing with the problems associated with teenaged impaired driving. The initial strategy adopted by CVPC staff in meeting the program's goals and objectives centered around creation of a multimedia and marketing campaign, which they entitled, Check Yourself . . . Never Drink and Drive. The campaign featured the following activities:

  • One of the first of many partnerships formed to promote the new campaign comprised the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) who joined together to select and hire a public relations firm to manage the campaign
  • The Check Yourself . . . Never Drink and Drive campaign was designed to influence teenagers on three levels: (1) All materials developed for the program promoted the message that law enforcement will prosecute underage drinkers who drive; (2) Campaign messages and materials stressed the social consequences of drinking and driving; and (3) Parents were enlisted to take an active role in reducing teenage drinking and driving
  • Other partnerships formed during the campaign included several state youth agencies, state and federal court systems, high schools, drunk driving organizations, the hospitality industry, retail sports outlets, state and local substance abuse prevention programs, and federal and state parks and recreation agencies. These partners were instrumental in producing public service announcements (PSAs) for television and radio
  • High school students provided a diverse audience for campaign concepts as they were developed


RESULTS
The efforts of the Attorney General's Crime and Violence Prevention Center resulted in production of radio PSAs and four television PSAs performed in English and Spanish. The PSAs were airedrepeatedly on 40 television stations.

Other materials were developed for the campaign and distributed to law enforcement agencies, schools, and community groups. More than 100,000 copies of 11 color posters were distributed throughout the state, bumper stickers were designed and 33,000 were disbursed, 75,000 decals were distributed, and 250,000 brochures were allocated for use by parents.

 

FUNDING
  Section 410:
State:
$297,264
$44,925
CONTACT  
 

Steve Hedrick
California Department of Justice
Office of Attorney General
Crime and Violence Prevention Center
1300 I Street, Suite 1150
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 322–2796


NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

SPRING 2000