IMPAIRED DRIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA


Incidence of Impaired Driving

For one of every 130 miles driven in Pennsylvania in 2000, a person with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) >.10 sat behind the wheel. Police in Pennsylvania reported 14,564 crashes involving a driver or pedestrian with a BAC of .01 or more. Formulas developed by NHTSA were used to estimate the number of alcohol-related crashes where alcohol involvement was not reported by the police. An estimated total of 99,430 crashes in Pennsylvania involved alcohol which killed 618 and injured an estimated 33,500 people.

Impaired Driving by Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

In 2000, Pennsylvania drivers with:

* BACs of .10 and above were involved in an estimated 94,600 crashes that killed 511 and injured 29,300

* BACs between .08-.09 were involved in an estimated 1,630 crashes that killed 31 and injured 1,300

* Positive BACs below .08 were involved in an estimated 3,200 crashes that killed 76 and injured 2,900

Costs

Alcohol is a factor in 31% of Pennsylvania’s crash costs. Alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania cost the public an estimated $5.2 billion in 2000, including $2.4 billion in monetary costs and almost $2.8 billion in quality of life losses. (For definitions of the cost categories, see the definitions fact sheet.) Alcohol-related crashes are deadlier and more serious than other crashes. People other than the drinking driver paid $3.2 billion of the alcohol-related crash bill.

Costs per Alcohol-Related Injury

The average alcohol-related fatality in Pennsylvania costs $3.8 million:

·* $1.2 million in monetary costs

* $2.6 million in quality of life losses

The estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged $107,000:

* $51,000 in monetary costs

* $56,000 in quality of life losses

Costs per Mile Driven

Crash costs in Pennsylvania averaged:

* $7.20 per mile driven at BACs of .10 and above

* $3.10 per mile driven at BACs between .08-.09

* $0.10 per mile driven at BACs of .00

Costs per Drink

The societal costs of alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania averaged $1.10 per drink consumed. People other than the drinking driver paid $.70 per drink.

Impact on Auto Insurance Rates

Alcohol-related crashes accounted for an estimated 20% of Pennsylvania’s auto insurance payments. Reducing alcohol-related crashes by 10% would save $141 million in claims payments and loss adjustment expenses.

Prevention Savings of Impaired Driving Measures

Pennsylvania already has many important impaired driving laws. They are saving money and lives. The estimates that follow describe the expected costs and savings, given Pennsylvania’s prices and impaired driving rates. The estimates assume Pennsylvania’s laws achieve average U.S. effectiveness levels.

Zero Tolerance Law

Laws like Pennsylvania’s that make it illegal for persons under 21 to drive with a positive BAC have reduced impaired-driving fatalities by 4% on average. Per licensed youth driver, this law costs approximately $40 and yields net savings of $900. Medical care cost savings alone exceed the intervention cost. The primary cost is the value of mobility lost by youth who are forced to reduce their drinking or driving.

Intensive Sobriety Checkpoint Program

Intensive enforcement of Pennsylvania State BAC limits with highly visible sobriety checkpoints reduce alcohol-related fatalities by at least 15% and save approximately $75,500 per checkpoint. Including police resources, costs of travel delay and the value of mobility losses by impaired drivers apprehended and sanctioned, the costs of conducting a checkpoint average about $10,700.

Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA)

To reduce alcohol-related fatal crashes among youth, Pennsylvania has adopted a MLDA of 21. It saves an estimated $700 per youthful driver. The loss of liquor sales is the large majority of the $200 cost per youthful driver.

Graduated Licensing

Graduated licensing is a three-stage program that involves a learner’s permit, intermediate (provisional) license, and full licensure. To advance between stages, young drivers are required to demonstrate responsible driving behavior. Graduated licensing with a midnight curfew could reduce youth fatalities by at least 5% and total alcohol-related fatalities by 2%. Savings amount to an estimated $600 per youthful driver in Pennsylvania. The value of the mobility lost by youth is a large portion of the estimated $80 cost per youthful driver.

Potential Savings from Further Prevention Efforts

A number of additional strategies can mitigate the harm from impaired driving. The following paragraphs estimate the potential savings, in Pennsylvania’s prices, if other proven impaired driving prevention measures were widely implemented in Pennsylvania.

Administrative License Revocation

Laws that allow police or driver licensing authorities to revoke a driver’s license swiftly and automatically for refusing or failing a BAC test have reduced alcohol-related fatalities by 6.5% on average and saved an estimated $65,300 per driver sanctioned. The value of the driver’s lost mobility is the large majority of the estimated $3,300 cost per driver sanctioned. Reinstatement fees assessed to offenders typically cover start-up and operating costs.

08 BAC Law

A well-publicized State law lowering driver BAC limits to .08 can potentially reduce alcohol-related fatalities by an average of 7%. On average, a .08 law in Pennsylvania could save an estimated $50 per licensed driver. The value of mobility losses and alcohol sales reductions resulting from the law would be a large portion of the estimated $3.50 cost per licensed driver.

Enforcing Serving Intoxicated Patrons Law

Using undercover police officers to enforce the State law against serving alcohol to intoxicated bar and restaurant patrons would reduce alcohol-related crash fatalities by an estimated 11%. It would cost an estimated $0.40 per licensed driver and save about $30 per licensed driver.

Server Training

Server training programs provide education and training to servers of alcoholic beverages with the goal of altering their serving practices to prevent patron intoxication and alcohol-impaired driving. Generally, 40% to 60% of intoxicated patrons drive after consuming alcohol in bars, clubs or restaurants. A statewide, full-day, mandatory, face-to-face, server training program with active management support has the potential to reduce nighttime DUI injury crashes by 17%. Implementing such a program costs an estimated $80 per licensed driver and saves about $300 in crash costs per licensed driver.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)