PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Frederick County, a major growth area in Maryland, is witnessing an alarming increase in underage vehicle crashes and fatalities due to speeding, not using seat belts, and impaired driving. With a projected increase in the county’s population over the next decade, strong steps are being taken to reduce the risky behavior that teens demonstrate behind the wheel.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals of the Teen Safe Driving Initiative are to:

• educate youth about safe driving practices, which includes the consistent use of seat belts and attention to speed laws;

• change the unsafe and unhealthy underage use of alcohol and drugs that impairs driving skills and attentiveness; and

• support education and change through rigorous law enforcement targeting 15 to 20 year olds with a driver’s license or permit.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The program’s goals are to be met by employing four target strategies: 1) Increasing the frequency of enforcement operations targeting teen drivers for speeding and non-use of seat belts; 2) Limiting youth access to alcohol and other drugs; 3) Increasing youth buy-in to safe driving practices and alcohol/drug free activities; and 4) Converting community focus on the tragedy of underage drunk driving crashes into actions promoting safe driving practices and reducing underage drinking and drugs.

Here is a listing of some of the Initiative’s activities.

• Initiate consistent bi-weekly car and foot patrols around high schools, before and after class hours, to observe and cite non-seat belt use.

• Patrol major highways and access roads to schools during the academic year, before and after school hours, to enforce speeding laws and seat belt use.

• Have quarterly sobriety checkpoints throughout the county.

• Increase the frequency of directed saturation patrols to coincide with sports events and other festivities during the academic year.

• Conduct two rounds of compliance checks by law enforcement of the 286 county alcohol beverage retailers throughout the year, targeting the weeks before and after major holidays and school events.

• Set up a “tip” hotline for the public to report underage drinking/drug parties to law enforcement.

• Educate the judges about the need and importance of strict sanctions for underage drinking, drugs and motor vehicle charges.

• Organize a Speakers Bureau of youth who can give presentations to community leaders about the need for community involvement.

• Enlist the help of Police Chiefs, Sheriff, local State Police Barrack Commander in recording public service radio and video announcements.

• Ask community business leaders to sponsor a billboard featuring a strong enforcement message about seat belts, speeding and underage alcohol/drug use.

RESULTS

This initiative began October 1, 2001 and is in the beginning phase. To date, the five participating law enforcement agencies have been trained in understanding underage drinking laws and enforcement operations have begun. The Frederick County Underage Drinking Task Force was established in 1998.

   WINTER 2002