WORKSHOP to REVIEW PROBLEM-BEHAVIOR RESEARCH PROGRAMS: ALCOHOL, DRUGS, and HIGHWAY SAFETY Mary E. Marks Alan C. Donelson John R
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WORKSHOP TO REVIEW PROBLEM-BEHAVIOR RESEARCH PROGRAMS: ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND HIGHWAY SAFETY Mary E. Marks Alan C. Donelson John R. Treat Ralph K. Jones Kent B. Joscelyn The University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 May 1981 Prepared for U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Washington, D.C. 20590 Contract No. DOT-HS-8-02031 Document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service Springfield, Virginia 22161 WORKSHOP TO REVIEW PROBLEM-BEHAVIOR RESEARCH PROGRAMS: ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND HIGHWAY SAFETY Mary E. Marks Alan C. Donelson John R. Treat Ralph K. Jones Kent B. Joscelyn The University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 May 1981 Prepared for U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Washington, D.C. 20590 Contract No, DOT-HS-8-02031 The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the Departm tsnt of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. This docvltment is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transpor1;ation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturer's names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the objects of this report. Document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service Springfield, Virginia 22161 Tuhnicol RwDocumeatation Poge 1. Rmrt No. 2. G.vemnmi Accession Me. 3. Recipimi's Catalog NO. r- I 4. Title adSulatitle 5. Report Dote WORKSHOP TO REVIEW PROBLEM-BEHAVIOR RESEARCH May 1981 PROGRAMS : ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND HIGHWAY SAFETY 6. PufOmiwOr~ixstion 8. Pwfoming Organizetion Report No. '. "hds)Marks, M.E.; Donelson, A.C.; Treat, J.R.; UM-HSRI-81-21 Jones, R.K, : and Joscelyn, K.B. 9, Pwforning Clrgmizmiion Norno md Address 10. WorC Unit No. Highway Safety Research Institute The University of Michigan 11. Contract or Gront NO. 2901 Baxter Road DOT-HS-8-02031 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 13. TYPOof Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsorins Ag.ncv Nme md Address Final Report U.S. Department of Transportation 1978 1981 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - 400 Seventh Street, S.W. 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, D. C. 20590 15. Suppl-tlry Notes Other reports produced under this contract : Workshop to Review Problem- Behavior Research Programs : Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Pupil Transportation 16. Abstract This report presents the proceedings of a workshop on alcohol, drugs, and highway safety. The purpose of this workshop was to develop specific recommendations for the planning and implementation of NHTSA research, development, and demonstration projects in the program area of Alcohol and Drugs. Workshop participants represented both the practitioner and researcher communities. General issues related to the program area of alcohol and other drugs were discussed, and specific program elements reviewed in-depth. Two working groups participated in a series which dealt with the following topics: General Objectives of the Alcohol and Drugs Program; Problem Identification; Countermeasure Development, Test, and Evaluation; Knowledge Transfer; Demonstration and Other Techniques; and Other Drugs and Other Topics. This report summarizes discussions of these topics. Conclusions about the general objectives of an alcohol and drugs program and recommendations concerning specific program elements concerning the direction of future research in this area are presented. I Countermeasures,Demonstra- 18. Distribution stoi.n.nt This document is available to the m. kcurity Clmssif. (of this p.0.) 21- No. of P~IS 22. Price I UNC:LASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED 121 I ACKNOWLEDGMENT This report is a result of the efforts of many persons and stems from their able and varied contributions. We thank all who assisted in its development, preparation, and production. Special recognition is due to those who participated in the workshop and wholse expert contributions formed the basis for the report. All gave generously of their time, energy, and knowledge. Their willing support has made this report possible. The participants and their affiliations are listed in Appendix C, We adso acknowledge the staff of the Holiday Inn Conference Center, and in particular Ms. Barbara Rassin who facilitated the planning and arranging of this workshop. This report was drafted primarily by Mary E, Marks and Alan C, Donelson from notes and records of the workshop sessions. Kent B. Joscelyn and John R. Treat served as moderators at those sessions. Other HSRI personnel also made important contributions. The report was edited by James E. Haney. Anne L. VanDerworp served as production editor. Douglas J. VanDenBerg, word processing operator, produced the report. We thank all who contributed. Kent B. Joscelyn Ralph K. Jones Principal. Investigator Principal Investigator WORKSIlOP TO REVIEW PROBLEM-BEHAVIOR RESEARCH PROGRAMS: WCIRKSHOP ON ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND HIGHWAY SAFETY SUMMARY This paper is a summary of the proceedings of a workshop on alcohol, drugs, and highway safety. The workshop was held on 12-13 May 1980 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, Silver Spring, Maryland. The workshop is one of a series conducted by The University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contract no. DOT-HS--8-02031, entitled "Workshop to Review Problem-Behavior Research Pr~grams.~' The workshop approach was designed: (1) to provide an opportunity to discuss general issues related to the program area of alcohol and other drugs, and (2) to permit an in-depth review of specific program elements. Two working groups participated in a series which dealt with the following topics: General Objectives of the Alcohol and Drugs Program; Problem Identification; e Countermeasure Development, Test, and Evaluation (two sessions); e Knowledge Transfer: Demonstration and Other Techniques; and Other Drugs and Other Topics. General Objectives of the Alcohol and Drugs Program The initial working session dealt with general objectives of an alcohol and drugs program. The nature and overall thrust of the proposed program were also examined to provide a framework for comments on specific projects within the program. General objectives of a NHSTA program on alcohol and drugs recommlended by participants included the following: Problem Identification - monitor the nature and extent of the alcohol-crash problem to measure changes over time, for example, changes in its magnitude and in the nature of target groups for countermeasures; - discover the "root causesf1of drinking-driving behavior; - determine the nature and magnitude of a possible "other drugs and driving" problem. Countermeasures - continue emphasis on general deterrence with progra*ms focused on increased enforcement in conjunction w~th public information and education; - improve and incorporate (explicitly) evaluation components in projects designed to test countermeasure approaches. r Knowledge Transfer (including demonstration projects) - improve dissemination both of knowledge gained from research and of products for use by states in their traffic safety programs, in particular, evaluation techniques; - identify, develop, and evaluate mechanisms to support additional efforts to transfer knowledge. General comments on the alcohol and drugs program included the f 0110 wing: r Research on the nature and magnitude of the alcohol-crash problem requires focus. Study of the "same old questions" is interesting but not useful. In examining the root causes of the problem, which to some extent lie beyond highway safety per se, collaboration with other agencies, such as NIAAA, is encouraged. e Terming field tests ndemonstrationsu heightens expectations of all concerned and lessens objectivity in evaluating the results. Demonstration projects should be used as a technique of advocacy and be restricted to those projects of proven effectiveness. In transferring knowledge, increased sensitivity to local factors that influence a program's effectiveness is needed. Input from minority populations and their representation in policymaking as well as in the "sellingn of programs are essential. r Along with increased enforcement and public information and education efforts, attention rms+be- given to the adjudication and sanctioning elements, which can be a limiting factor in alcohol-related programs. Some participants questioned (1) what knowledge base exists to support the current emphasis on the general deterrence approach within the alcohol program area, and (2) whether the reliance on this approach represents too narrow a program direction to successfully affect the impaired driver problem. The group noted that an approach with an emphasis on detection and arrest has a very small target group of drivers who drink (i.e., those drivers 7~itha BAC of 0.10% w/v or greater). Furthermore, it does not address the general issue of driver impairment, which involves a much broader class of drivers (e.g., the aged; users of legitimate drugs; fatigued drivers). The workshop recommended that NHTSA consider broadening its