Efficacy of law enforcement procedures concerning alcohol, drugs, and driving.
Fatality rates in autobomile crashes vary widely from nation to nation. For instance, in 1970 Japan reported a rate of 11.4 and the United States 2.6. Finland stood about midway with 6.2 fatalities per 100 million vehicle kilometers 1970 (OECD, 1974). These rates reflect all fatal crash causes. The alcohol rates are quite imprecise for many nations but a comparison of the Finnish and United States figures reveals some interesting facts. The United States rate of alcohol involvement in highway deaths is about 50% (of a rate of 2.6). The Finnish rate of alcohol involvement is 27% (of a rate of 6.2). Thus the alcohol rate for Finland is about 1.7, and for the United States 1.3. These percentages provide a guide for enforcement officials. The higher the percentage, the higher the priority. Moreover, the role of traffic deaths in overall mortality is important. For instance, in Japan each year 25 traffic deaths occur in each 100,000 of population, while in the United Kingdom the figure is 13 (1970 figures; OECD, 1974). Another factor is available countermeasures. Safety features on cars, quality of roads, driver training, and cultural attitudes toward cars all contribute. Driver behavior controlled by law enforcement is a very important factor. There is evidence that enforcement of drunken driving laws is extremely lax even in those nations claiming vigorous programs. An enforcement program that will screen the corporate whole of the driving population on an optimal basis will identify those drivers whose drinking is a problem for treatment ranging from punitive to therapeutic on the basis of their needs and at the same time bring about a general deterrence because of a perception of the high risk of being apprehended.