Call Us 850-457-3299 ☰ ˟
Logo
Call Us Today 850-457-3299
  • Home
  • Get A Quote
    • Annuities
    • AutomobileImage of right arrow
      • Auto Insurance Quote
      • Auto
    • Bonds
    • Business & CommercialImage of right arrow
      • Commercial Auto Insurance Quote
      • General Liability Quote Form
      • Business Owners (BOP) Quote Form
      • Builders Risk
      • Liquor Liability Quote Form
      • Workers Compensation Quote
    • Flood
    • HomeownersImage of right arrow
      • Homeowners Insurance Quote
      • Manufactured Home Quote
      • Homeowner Flood Quote Form
      • Homeowners Quote
    • Motorcycle
    • Recreational Vehicle
    • Renters
    • Watercraft & Boat
    • Windstorm
  • Customer Service
    • Online Account Access
    • AutomobileImage of right arrow
      • Request ID Card for Auto Policy
      • Request Declaration and Coverages Page for Auto Policy
      • Send Declaration and Coverages Information to Lien Holder
      • Add Vehicle to Existing Auto Policy
      • Remove Vehicle from Existing Auto Policy
      • Add Driver to Existing Auto Policy
      • Remove Driver from Existing Auto Policy
    • Business & CommercialImage of right arrow
      • Request ID Card for Commercial Auto Policy
      • Request Declaration and Coverages Page for Commercial Auto Policy
      • Add Vehicle to Existing Commercial Auto Policy
      • Remove Vehicle from Existing Commercial Auto Policy
      • Add Driver to Existing Commercial Auto Policy
      • Remove Driver from Existing Commercial Auto Policy
      • Request General Liability Certificate of Insurance
    • Flood
    • HomeownersImage of right arrow
      • Request Declaration and Coverages for Existing Homeowners Insurance Coverage
      • Request Evidence of Insurance
    • MotorcycleImage of right arrow
      • Request ID Card for Motorcycle Policy
      • Request Declaration and Coverages Page for Motorcycle Policy
      • Add Motorcycle to Existing Policy
      • Remove Motorcycle from Existing Policy
      • Add Driver to Existing Motorcycle Policy
      • Remove Driver from Existing Motorcycle Policy
    • Other
    • Recreational VehicleImage of right arrow
      • Request ID Card for Recreational Vehicle Policy
      • Request Declaration and Coverages Page for Recreational Vehicle Policy
      • Add Recreational Vehicle to Existing Policy
      • Remove Recreational Vehicle from Existing Policy
      • Add Driver to Existing Recreational Vehicle Policy
      • Remove Driver from Existing Recreational Vehicle Policy
    • Renters
    • Watercraft & BoatImage of right arrow
      • Request ID Card for Watercraft Policy
      • Request Declaration and Coverages Page for Watercraft Policy
      • Add Watercraft to Existing Policy
      • Remove Watercraft from Existing Policy
      • Change Primary Operator on Existing Watercraft Policy
    • Windstorm
  • Blog
  • Make a Payment
  • Resources
    • Secure File Area
    • Refer a Friend
    • Important Links
    • Calculators
    • Important Files
    • Free Reports
    • Insurance Glossary
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • News Center
  • About Us
    • About Coggins Insurance Agency
    • Location Map
    • Employee Directory
    • Partners
    • Customer Testimonials
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
Home > Blog > The Goal: Zero Alcohol-Related Driving Deaths
THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013

The Goal: Zero Alcohol-Related Driving Deaths

Transportation safety officials are exploring ways to eliminate drunken driving deaths, which account for about a third of the nation’s more than 30,000 annual traffic fatalities— a share that has remained stubbornly unchanged since the late-1990s.

The National Transportation Safety Board met Tuesday to hear recommendations on ways to meet its goal of zero alcohol-related driving deaths.

Experts said at a two-day information-gathering forum the board held last year that dramatic progress was made in the 1980s through the mid-1990s after the minimum drinking age was raised to 21 and the legally allowable maximum level of drivers’ blood alcohol content was lowered to .08.

But they said progress has largely stagnated over the last decade and a half, requiring a fresh approach.

The NTSB’s 19 recommendations call for stronger laws, swifter enforcement and expanded use of technology.

“Most Americans think that we’ve solved the problem of impaired driving, but in fact, it’s still a national epidemic,” NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said.

On average, every hour one person is killed and 20 more are injured, according to officials.

Each year in the United States, nearly 10,000 people are killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers and more than 173,000 are injured. Since the mid-1990s, even as total highway fatalities have fallen, the proportion of deaths from accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver has remained constant at around 30 percent.

NTSB investigators cite research showing that although impairment begins with the first drink, by 0.05 BAC, most drivers experience a decline in both cognitive and visual functions, which significantly increases the risk of a serious crash. Currently, over 100 countries on six continents have BAC limits set at 0.05 or lower. The NTSB has asked all 50 states to do the same.

Hersman said research shows that drivers with a BAC above 0.05 are impaired and at a “significantly greater risk” of being involved in a crash where someone is killed or injured.

Among the other findings, investigators said that high-visibility enforcement efforts, such as sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols paired with media campaigns, deter alcohol-impaired driving. To increase the effectiveness of these programs, the NTSB recommended that police use passive alcohol sensors to help better detect alcohol vapor in the ambient environment.

The NTSB, which in December 2012 recommended that states require ignition interlocks for all DWI offenders, said that because only about one in four offenders ordered to have an interlock actually have one installed, states should employ measures to improve interlock compliance.

Further, the board said that an intervention known as administrative license suspension, which allows law enforcement authorities to immediately suspend or revoke a driver’s license at the time of a DWI arrest, would be more effective if states required offenders to have an ignition interlock on their vehicles before licenses could be fully reinstated.

The NTSB said specialized state DWI courts are effective in addressing repeat offenders. DWI courts hold offenders accountable through intensive monitoring, treatment for underlying disorders, alcohol testing and graduated sanctions. The NTSB recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) assist states in maximizing their effectiveness by providing the courts with current best practices.

NTSB said it has has forwarded its safety recommendations to the NHTSA, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety, all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

“Alcohol-impaired crashes are not accidents,” said Hersman. “They are crimes. They can – and should – be prevented. The tools exist. What is needed is the will.”

The NTSB report, “Reaching Zero: Actions to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving,” is available here

The Associated Press and reporter Joan Lowy contributed to this story.

Posted 10:35 AM

Share |


No Comments


Post a Comment
Required
Required (Not Displayed)
Required


All comments are moderated and stripped of HTML.

NOTICE: This blog and website are made available by the publisher for educational and informational purposes only. It is not be used as a substitute for competent insurance, legal, or tax advice from a licensed professional in your state. By using this blog site you understand that there is no broker client relationship between you and the blog and website publisher.
Blog Archive
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013

  • independent insurance agent(5)
  • insurance quotes(4)
  • florida drivers(4)
  • auto insurance(4)
  • pensacola insurance agent(2)
  • liability insurance(1)
  • insurance premium(1)
  • homeowners insurance(1)
  • premium audit(1)
  • rental car insurance(1)
  • homeowner's insurance(1)
  • insurance audit(1)
  • workers compensation(1)
  • liability(1)
  • florida homeowner(1)
  • independent agent(1)
  • insurance quote(1)
  • bbb.org(1)
  • insurance policy(1)
  • replacement cost(1)
  • #laborday(1)
  • commercial insurance(1)
  • insurance score(1)

View Mobile Version
Logo

504 S. Fairfield Drive Suite A-1
Pensacola, FL 32506
Ph: 850-457-3299
Fx: 850-457-2181

Facebook Icon Twitter Icon
© Copyright. All rights reserved | Powered by Insurance Website Builder