TJCTC's Blog
NHTSA has released a new report analyzing eight impaired driving enforcement case studies from around the country, including one from Austin, Texas. The report finds that the eight programs studied are notable because they all “are characterized by sustained, high visibility, special impaired driving enforcement activity and all are supported by vigorous publicity and education campaigns.”
A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that wrong-way driving deaths have risen substantially since 2004. Between 2015 and 2018, an average of 500 people a year died in wrong-way collisions. The study found that alcohol impairment contributed to more than 60% of fatal wrong-way crashes. AAA recommends ignition interlock devices as a preventative measure.
A recent opinion piece speculates about the impact of self-driving cars on impaired driving. Current self-driving car technology is not fully autonomous; a driver is still necessary to safely operate a self-driving car. The opinion piece projects that once self-driving cars are fully autonomous, operating the car will be more like sitting in the back of a car that someone else is driving. Until the technology reaches that point, impaired driving will still be an issue in self-driving cars.
MADD and Ipsos have released a new poll finding that consumers support drunk driving prevention systems in cars. Drunk driving prevention systems include driver monitoring and alcohol detection technologies. The poll found that 8 in 10 people surveyed would support drunk driving prevention systems becoming standard in new cars.
The Houston Chronicle has released a report analyzing impaired driving in Houston. According to the report, Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth are among the deadliest cities in the country for impaired driving accidents. The report discusses repeat offenders, challenges facing law enforcement, and new efforts to curb the effects of impaired driving.
This September, MADD published a new report on public perception of cannabis-impaired driving. To create the report, MADD surveyed more than 1,000 people from across the U.S. on their understanding of how cannabis impacts driving. MADD found that people generally view cannabis-impaired driving as less concerning than alcohol-impaired driving, but 8 in 10 people want more information on how cannabis affects driving. The report also found that people in Colorado, where recreational and medical marijuana use has been allowed under state law for many years, were more likely to be well-informed on the risks of driving after consuming cannabis. You can read the full report here.