Effects on alcohol related fatal crashes of a community based initiative to increase substance abuse treatment and reduce alcohol availability

• Published in: Injury prevention 2005-04, Vol.11 (2), p.84-90
• Main Authors: Hingson, R W, Zakocs, R C, Heeren, T, Winter, M R, Rosenbloom, D, DeJong, W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - mortality; Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control; Accidents, Traffic - trends; Alcohol; alcohol availability; Alcohol Drinking - prevention & control; alcohol related traffic fatalities; Alcohol-Related Disorders - prevention & control; Alcoholic Beverages - supply & distribution; Alcohols; Automobile Driving; BAC; blood alcohol concentration; coalitions; Community Health Services - methods; Community involvement; Community support; Consumer Advocacy; Disorderly conduct; Drug abuse; Enforcement; Ethanol - blood; Experimental design; FARS; Fatalities; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Fighting Back; Humans; Injuries; Mortality; Original; Polls & surveys; Prevention; Program Evaluation - methods; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; RWJF; Sales; Substance abuse treatment; Task forces; Traffic accidents & safety; Underage drinking; United States
• ISSN: 1353-8047; 1475-5785
• DOI: 10.1136/ip.2004.006353

Objective: This analysis tested whether comprehensive community interventions that focus on reducing alcohol availability and increasing substance abuse treatment can reduce alcohol related fatal traffic crashes. Intervention: Five of 14 communities awarded Fighting Back grants by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to reduce substance abuse and related problems attempted to reduce availability of alcohol and expand substance abuse treatment programs (FBAT communities). Program implementation began on 1 January 1992. Design: A quasi-experimental design matched each program community to two or three other communities of similar demographic composition in the same state. Main outcome measures: The ratio of fatal crashes involving a driver or pedestrian with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01% or higher, 0.08% or higher, or 0.15% or higher were examined relative to fatal crashes where no alcohol was involved for 10 years preceding and 10 years following program initiation. Results: Relative to their comparison communities, the five FBAT communities experienced significant declines of 22% in alcohol related fatal crashes at 0.01% BAC or higher, 20% at 0.08% or higher, and 17% at 0.15% or higher relative to fatal crashes not involving alcohol. Conclusions: Community interventions to reduce alcohol availability and increase substance abuse treatment can reduce alcohol related fatal traffic crashes.