Drinking and driving action Plan

While the Drink Driving Action Plan has been developed by the RTA, the road safety program in NSW is substantially a whole-of-government program. Accordingly, although RTA is the lead agency and has primary accountability for most of the actions, many other agencies and community organisations will
play important roles to ensure the Plan can be successfully implemented.

The development process of the Drink Driving Action Plan involved a comprehensive program of consultation.
 Road Safety 2010 set out the basic commitments in November 1999.
 Road Safety Public Forums in 2000 at Bathurst, Maitland and Campbelltown identified specific ideas
and initiatives to be addressed.
 A first draft was prepared incorporating Road Safety 2010 initiatives, recommendations of the
Road Safety Task Force and from the Road User Behaviour Study, and comments from the three
Public Forums.
 The draft was further developed in an internal RTA workshop.
 Stakeholder groups provided input to the draft Action Plan at an external workshop.
 A Road Safety Public Forum in the Central Coast NSW and the NSW Road Safety Task Force
members provided further input towards a final draft.
The RTA extends thanks to the other agencies and community and industry groups who have
contributed to this Plan, many of whom have also pledged to work with the RTA in its implementation.
Strategic context
The NSW Drink Driving Action Plan 2002–2004 operates within the broad long-term road safety
framework for NSW, Road Safety 2010.The Action Plan contributes to Road Safety 2010’s goal of
halving the road toll in NSW by 2010.
The key aim of Road Safety 2010 is to reduce deaths and injuries on NSW roads through initiatives
which will produce:
 Safer people (meaning all road users).
 Safer roads.
 Safer vehicles.
 Community based action.
The Plan is consistent with the recommendations of the NSW Road Safety Task Force, which reported
to the Minister for Roads in April 2001, and with the recommendations of the Road User Behaviour
Study reports published in September 2001.
Drink Driving 1
Scope and nature of the drink driving problem in NSW
The NSW Government aims to halve the road toll by the year 2010. Alcohol is a factor in
approximately one in six fatal crashes. Reducing alcohol-related fatal crashes is a high priority in halving
the road toll by 2010.
The amount of alcohol in the body is reported as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and is
measured in grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. In NSW the general legal BAC level for
driving is 0.05. Researchers have assessed that on average the increased probability of crashing at
increased BACs is as follows:
BAC Probability of crashing
(relative to zero BAC)
0.05 twice
0.08 7 times
0.15 25 times
For the period 1996–2001, 18% of all fatal crashes were alcohol-related.

Trends in fatal drink driving crashes
Features of the drink and drive problem in recent years are summarised as follows:
 86% of drink drivers in fatal crashes were male.
 63% of drink drivers in fatal crashes had a BAC of at least 0.15.
 Drink drivers involved in fatal crashes were 7 times more likely to have been both speeding and not
wearing a restraint or helmet.
 Half of all fatal drink drive crashes occurred from Friday to Saturday night.
 Drink driving remained a key issue for country road safety. Of the country drivers who were
involved in fatal crashes in the country Local Government Area in which they resided, 22% were
identified as being over the legal limit whereas the statewide average was 14%.
 Around 20,000 drink driving offences are committed every year.
 Two out of five drink drive offenders already had a drink drive record and 30% of third-time drink
drive offenders were unlicensed at the time of the third offence.
What happens when you drink
 Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.The effects on the body are apparent within
minutes, and alcohol can be detected in the brain within 5 minutes.
 Alcohol is a drug which slows down the functioning of the brain. It causes loss of balance, reduces
the ability to judge speed and distance, impairs reactions and the ability to make decisions, and
increases confidence and aggression. Drinking and driving is a lethal combination.
 A small amount of alcohol can be broken down in digestion, and absorption happens at different
rates for different people, and will be slowed if there is food in the system.
 However, most of the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, then carried around the body.
 Only around 2% is excreted unaltered in bodily fluids.
Drink Driving 3
 Alcohol also affects the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, which means that the body’s fluid
reserves are not kept in their usual balance.The kidneys become less effective and the body
excretes more water than it takes in, which leads to dehydration and produces the ‘hangover’
headache.
 Research has shown that even at low levels of alcohol (less than 0.05) the ability to drive is
adversely affected.This is regardless of whether the driver is a light or heavy drinker, an average
driver or a racing car driver.
 The 0.02 or special limit for novice, younger and some other drivers in most cases means no
alcohol.

Achievements and developments in drink driving prevention

One of the most successful road safety countermeasures of all time has been the introduction of
Random Breath Testing (RBT) in NSW in 1982.There was an immediate reduction in drink driving
crashes of at least 25%. More recent innovations include:
 Successful alcohol interlock trial.
 Penalties for drink driving increased.
 Continued highly visible NSW Police RBT operations.
 Media campaigns, linked to NSW Police operations, to reinforce the social unacceptability of drink
driving and the risks of being caught as well as the risks of crashing.
 Special programs to deter repeat offenders.
 A strong focus on drink driving prevention in the high school education program.
 Responsible service of alcohol, liquor accords and other co-operative ventures between the RTA, the
Hospitality Industry, the Department of Gaming and Racing, Local Government and related
organisations.
 Alternative transport and designated driver schemes focused on licensed premises.
Road Safety 2010 • Action Plan 2002–2004 4
Drink Driving 5
Drink Driving
Plan goal
Reduce the incidence of road crashes
involving drivers and riders
impaired by alcohol

Road Safety 2010 • Action Plan 2002–2004 6
Objectives
1. Educate the community on issues around drink driving.
2. Reduce the incidence of offending by high-alcohol and recidivist drink drivers.
3. Provide a road environment that reduces the incidence and severity of drink
driving crashes.
4. Influence vehicle design and technology to minimise the incidence and severity of
drink drive crashes.
5.Work with the NSW Police to implement the Enhanced Enforcement Program to
reduce the incidence of drink driving.
6. Promote and support alcohol-related environments which act to minimise the risk of
drink driving.
7. Inform the community about options and educate the community about alternatives
to drinking and driving.
Drink Driving 7
Safer people

OBJECTIVE 1: Educate the community on issues around drink driving
STRATEGY: Implement public education campaigns across NSW, supported by targeted local
campaigns

ACTIONS INVOLVED KEY DATE
Develop public education campaigns across NSW to support RTA, NSW Ongoing statewide RBT campaigns. police
In conjunction with key stakeholders, develop community RTA, LG, NSW Ongoing education materials which give local support to NSW campaigns. Police, Area Health Implement public education campaigns in metropolitan and country RTA, LG, NSW Yr 1
NSW to encourage people to separate drinking and driving. Police, Area Health

STRATEGY: Implement integrated community interventions to educate young people and
novice drivers (and their parents/carers) about drinking and driving

ACTIONS INVOLVED KEY DATE
Continue to provide support to school road safety education RTA, DET, Ongoing programs leading to safer behaviours among young people CEC,AIS, and for the longer term. NRMA
Ensure the revised Board of Studies Year 7–10 PDHPE Curriculum RTA, BoS Ongoing Framework maintains an emphasis on alcohol education as well as on other drugs.
Continue to provide a road safety education program in RTA, DET,

 

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