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The number of drunk driving crashes in Athens County, Ohio and the United States has decreased over the past five years. However, some say it is not going down fast enough.
According to the Crash Facts database compiled by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, alcohol-related crashes in Athens County went down 15 percent over the past five years, dropping from 124 crashes in 2004 to 105 in 2008.
Meanwhile, such crashes were down 13.3 percent statewide over the last five full years of available data (2003-2007), while the amount of related injuries were cut by 16 percent. Nationwide, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration statistics put the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles of travel at .43, the lowest rate on record.
Yet those waging the battle to eradicate drunk driving are concerned that their recent efforts have "hit a wall," according to Doug Scoles, the executive director of Ohio's Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization.
View Athens County Alcohol-Related Crashes in a larger map
According to NHSTA data, alcohol-impaired crashes still make up about 32 percent of all fatal crashes. In Ohio, that percentage stands at 31.1 percent. While total alcohol-related crashes and injuries were indeed down in Athens County, they still resulted in eight fatalities, the most alcohol-related crash deaths in five years.
"There are still 13,000 people getting killed every year across the country," Scoles said. "If you happen to be the victim or the victim's family, it can be very devastating."
Consequences
A Columbus personal injury attorney that represents victims of drunk drivers said that in addition to injuries and death, victims or their families face a variety of problems.
"First, it is economically damaging," said Matt Ice, an associate attorney with The Plymale Partnership. "[Victims of drunk driving accidents] have many medical bills that are incurred as a result. Plus, they have to make up for lost wages.
"Certainly there are also non-economic effects, such as the pain that results both physically and emotionally. It might affect what they can do in the future."
Progress slows
According to a 2002 study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drunk driving fatalities went down 37 percent between 1982 and 1999. However, James H. Hedlund and Anne T. McCartt, authors of Drunk Driving: Seeking Additional Solutions, claim progress in lowering alcohol-related crashes started to slow in 1994.
"[Numbers] may go down for a year or two, but the numbers are not significantly declining," MADD's Scoles said. "We have been trying to reach kids at a younger age with education and awareness, and there have been improvements in safety technology and emergency medical services, but these things are not solving the problem."
According to DPS' Athens County statistics, alcohol is still the major cause of serious car accidents. Since 2004, 48 percent of all fatal crashes were alcohol-related. Drinking and driving played a role in 11 percent of all crashes that resulted in injury and 6 percent that caused property damage.
The data also indicates certain types of drivers and driving conditions are more likely to lead to alcohol-related traffic incidents and fatalities in Athens County.
Time of day
The first of these trends is the time of day when these crashes are most likely to occur. Since 2004, between 16 and 20 percent of all alcohol-related crashes in the county occurred between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m., the largest percentage among all time periods.
Sgt. Karla Taulbee of the Ohio State Highway Patrol attributed this high percentage to the fact that people are “out and about, at bars [and elsewhere], so there’s more opportunities [for accidents to occur].” In addition, the large majority of fatal crashes during this time period – an average of 77 percent – were alcohol-related.
Gender of driver
The gender of the driver also plays a role in crashes that result between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. Men have consistently caused nearly twice as many total traffic accidents during this time, with over 20 percent of all their crashes involving alcohol.
Women have caused less traffic incidents, both with and without the influence of alcohol, during these hours, with 10 percent of their total accidents involving alcohol. This means that men have, over the past five years, caused at least three times as many alcohol-related traffic incidents as women between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.
Age
Driver age influences the likelihood of an alcohol-related incident as well. Statistics since 2004 show that drivers between the ages of 26 and 30 consistently cause more injuries as a result of driving under the influence than any other age group of the same size. Victims of these accidents are usually between 21 and 25 years of age.
“My experience is that [the offenders usually consist of] a wide gap between 20 and 30 year olds,” Taulbee said.
In addition, DPS statistics show that drivers of all ages are usually more likely to injure themselves in an alcohol-related accident than to injure someone else, such as a passenger or the driver of another car.
Vehicle type
Vehicle type is another condition that contributes greatly to the chances of an alcohol-related incident occurring in Athens County. The data indicates that motorcycles consistently have the highest percentage of these incidents.
From 2004 to May 2009, motorcyclists have had a higher percentage of alcohol-related versus non-alcohol-related incidents, while all other vehicles’ percentages steadily remain below 10 percent. Also, the number of motorcyclists who ride under the influence has doubled from 2004 to 2008, with an increase from 3 to 6 percent, respectively.
Townships
Certain areas of Athens County seem to have more alcohol-related incidents occur than others. According to the crash database, the city of Athens has had the most alcohol-related crashes, with a total of 56 between 2004 and 2007. However, during these years, Athens City had a population of around 27,700.
Two other cities in Athens County also had many alcohol-related crashes over the course of these four years. Trimble had a total of 31 incidents while Dover had 38 total incidents. Although the populations of these cities – 4,700 and 3,800, respectively – are over five times less than that of Athens City, the number of its alcohol-related crashes is proportionally higher.
Enforcement
Organizations within Ohio have been working to help combat the occurrences of alcohol related injuries and fatalities. The study by Hedlund and McCartt claims lower enforcement of impaired driving -- “the spotlight is on aggressive driving, cell phone use, and tire defects rather than drunk driving.” However, the Ohio State Patrol has been working to prove this statement wrong.
The state highway patrol, according to Lieutenant Brian Cooper of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, is the main enforcer of traffic violations in Athens.
“We transfer most of our traffic incidents to the State Highway Patrol, and the patrol transfers most of their crime incidents to the Sheriff’s Office,” he said.
Three-pronged approach
Scoles said MADD is in the midst of a national campaign to eliminate drunk driving. The first of their three-pronged strategy is for police to maintain and sustain high visibility law enforcement efforts. According to a 2005 Status Report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety -- an industry group that tries to reduce highway crashes -- routine checkpoints can result in a 20 percent decrease in fatal alcohol-related crashes.
Another approach taken by the state highway patrol is to teach people at a young age the consequences of drinking and driving. Programs such as mock crashes and prom promises are run at high schools statewide near the end of the school year. These programs aim to provide high school students with first-hand looks at the consequences of drinking and driving.
Technology
The second prong of MADD's national campaign is to make use of current technology to reduce drunk driving -- namely, through the use of alcohol ignition interlocks. Last year Ohio passed a law requiring such devices be put on the cars of second-time offenders that wish drive to and from work and school during their suspension. Scoles said his organization is pushing for the state to extend it to first-time convictions.
These devices feature a breathalyzer tube attached to the starter of the vehicle. Drivers must blow into the device and register an acceptable Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level for the engine to start. Ignition interlocks can be leased for $70-$80 per month.
An IIHS evaluation of a state program in Maryland found that ignition interlocks decreased the rate of recidivism by 64 percent.
"When they first came out, there were ways around it," Scoles said. "Now, it asks for random retests, and a camera takes pictures of anyone who blows into the breathalyzer. It's so high-tech that it registers almost everything; it's 95 percent foolproof."
The final strategy of the MADD campaign is to take advantage of advanced vehicle technology on all new vehicles. Scoles pointed to devices similar to ignition interlocks that can measure BAC levels through less noticeable methods like gripping the steering wheel, putting an elbow on an arm rest or measuring eye movement. All would be tied to the starter of the vehicle and require random testing.
"We want this to be standard vehicle equipment, and we think we're about 10 years from that," Scoles said. "It still has to be refined so that it is foolproof and not intrusive to sober, safe and responsible drivers."
Repeat offenders
One of the primary problems in drunk driving accidents, according to the crash studies, is the number of drunk drivers who commit repeated violations. Scoles said that 33,000 people in Ohio have five or more convictions on their record; 147,000 have three.
While most states suspend the licenses of drunk drivers, Scoles said that statistics show that most will still drive anyway. That's why he has such hope for new technology. By giving violators their licenses conditionally, people can comply and maintain their lifestyle.
"Our mission is to stop drunk driving; we have no ulterior agenda," Scoles said. "We're not trying to outlaw alcohol, but we think we can seriously eliminate drunk driving."
(Creative Commons photo on Flickr by usag,yongsan)
