Abstract

This report is a final evaluation of four years of increased police enforcement to reduce alcohol-related accidents in Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky. Three types of data were collected as a means of evaluating the Traffic Alcohol Program; accident data, arrest and adjudication data, and cost-effectiveness data.

Results from before-and-after comparisons and time-series analysis show alcohol-related accidents decreased significantly during the study period. When comparing two years before with four years during the increased enforcement, the reduction in alcohol-related accidents during hours of increased enforcement was 37.3 percent using standard before and after analysis and 36.4 percent using time-series analysis. For all hours of the day, alcohol-related accidents decreased by 30.3 percent. During the same time period, alcohol-related fatal or injury accidents decreased 29.1 percent.

Arrests have averaged 3,220 per year for the four years of increased enforcement as compared to 929 the year before. The DUI conviction rate has remained at approximately 90 percent throughout the program. Based on costs associated with the program (enforcement, jail costs, and court costs) and benefits (reduced accident costs, fines for DUI, and fines for other offenses); the benefit-cost ration was 3.81. If reduced accident costs were eliminated and only direct income was used as benefits, then the benefit-cost ratio would be 1.20.

Report Date

11-1986

Report Number

UKTRP-86-28

Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.13023/KTC.RR.1986.28

Notes

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the University of Kentucky nor of the Kentucky State Police. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

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