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Change Policies: Introduction

Strategies and Approaches to Change Policies

  1. Raise alcohol taxes

  2. Require graduated
    licensing for novice drivers

  3. Apply administrative sanctions rather than criminal penalties

  4. Enforce zero tolerance laws for underage drinking and driving

  5. Increase number of alcohol-free settings, events, and activities

  6. Promote social host liability laws

  7. Write zoning ordinances to manage retail alcohol outlets

  8. Controls on hours of sale

What Communities Can Do

What Parents Can Do

What Agencies Can Do

What Schools Can Do

Strategies & Approaches › Change Policies › Enforce Zero Tolerance Laws for Underage Drinking and Driving

Enforce Zero Tolerance Laws for Underage Drinking and Driving

Every state and the District of Columbia have a “zero tolerance” policy with regard to measurable blood alcohol content for drivers under the age of 21. Young drivers who are found to have a blood alcohol content higher than 0.02 percent can have their license immediately seized and revoked and be subject to significant fines. This enforcement strategy is connected to federal highway dollars to ensure continued state support; variation exists in this policy among the U.S. territories and possessions.

Youth Operators Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit Laws as of 1/1/2006
(From APIS—Alcohol Policy Information System)

Youth Operators Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit Laws as of 1/1/2006

Issue Youth are not aware that zero tolerance laws exist in their community.

Strategy

A public awareness campaign can dramatically increase the effectiveness of the zero tolerance law. Six counties in Maryland implemented a special public education campaign on the law which resulted in a 50 percent reduction in alcohol-related crashes among young drivers. The campaign included television and radio commercials that featured local police officials as spokespersons. A pamphlet and matching poster with the theme, “You don’t have to be drunk to lose your license in Maryland” also were distributed to support the broadcast campaign. Laws are most effective when the law itself, and efforts to enforce the law, are well publicized.

For additional strategies and approaches for changing policies, see the following:

What You Can Do: Community
What You Can Do: Parents
What You Can Do: Agencies
What You Can Do: Schools

References:
Bonnie, R.J. & M.E. O’Connell (eds). 2003. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

Bonnie, R.J. & M.E. O’Connell (eds). 2003. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Office of Applied Studies. 2004. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. NSDUH Report: Alcohol Dependence or Abuse and Age at First Use. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Underage Drinking Prevention Action Guide and Planner. 2001. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Available at: http://media.shs.net/prevline/pdfs/phd858.pdf#search=%22underage%20drinking%20prevention%20action%20guide%20and%20planner%22. Accessed on [08/25/06]

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Environmental Strategies to Prevent Alcohol Problems on College Campuses. 2005. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/EnviroStrat.pdf#search=%22strategies%20to%20promote%20alcohol%20free%20events%22. Accessed on [08/29/06]

Johnson, K.D. Underage Drinking: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Problem-Specific Guides Services. U.S. Dept. of Justice. Available at: http://www.popcenter.org/problems/PDFs/underage.pdf#search=%22statistics%20on%20alcohol%20free%20events%20and%20underage%20drinking%22. Accessed on [09/01/06]

Drinking in America: Myths, Realities, and Prevention Policy. U.S. Dept. of Justice. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/Drinking_in_America.pdf. Accessed on [09/05/06]

The Relationship Between Alcohol Availability and Injury and Crime. Available at: http://www.alcoholpolicymd.com/alcohol_and_health/alc_availability.htm. Accessed on [01/09/06]

Bans of Off-Premises Sunday Sales. Alcohol Policy Information System. Available at: http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?Type=BAS_APIS&SEC={1215CDC3-980E-4868-87FB-524C3A1EC415}. Accessed on [09/28/06]
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