Source Investigations: A Tool to Combat Impaired Driving

In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation to review law enforcement crash investigative programs and methods used to identify sources of alcohol sales and consumption related to those crashes. Many State and local law enforcement agencies have implemented source investigations as a strategy to determine where alcohol was purchased and/or consumed when an alcohol-impaired driving crash has occurred. The authors' methodology for this case study began with informally inquiring about the use of source investigations around the country. After identifying a number of programs, they selected three States based on three key factors: (a) each State must conduct at least three source investigations each year, (b) each State must be geographically different, and (c) the three States selected must represent a combination of control and license States including at least one State that has the enforcement mechanism located within the liquor control department and one State that has the enforcement arm located in another department. Ohio (control, with external enforcement mechanism), Washington (control with internal enforcement mechanism) and Louisiana (license with internal enforcement mechanism) were selected. After identifying the States, the authors obtained an inventory of source investigations conducted since 2006. They then conducted semi-structured discussions with three agents/officers and three supervisors/managers from each agency. The most noteworthy finding from the qualitative research was that, although source investigations are resource intensive, the results—holding the provider of the alcohol accountable and generating positive public relations—appear promising. This report concludes with recommendations relating to improved interagency collaboration, training and policy enhancements, and optimizing the use of the media.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811519.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

  11720 Beltsville Drive, Suite 900
  Calverton, MD  United States  20705-3102

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  Office of Impaired Driving and Occupant Protection, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Curtis, S Christopher
  • Ramirez, Rebecca L
• Publication Date: 2011-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 36p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol use; Alcoholic beverages; Drunk drivers; Law enforcement; Purchasing; Sales
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01365470
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-811 519
• Contract Numbers: DTNH22-08-H-00197
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 20 2012 12:17PM