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CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving: 0.08% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Laws

CDC

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

These laws state that it is illegal for a driver's blood alcohol concentration to exceed 0.08%.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends 0.08% BAC laws based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related motor vehicle crash fatalities.

Results / Accomplishments

Results from the Systematic Reviews:
Nine studies qualified for the systematic review.

• Each study evaluated 0.08% BAC laws in one or more of the 16 states that implemented the laws before January 1, 1998.
• Studies reviewed fatal injury crashes (8 studies) and fatal and nonfatal injury crashes (1 study).
• Fatalities due to alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes: median decrease of 7% following implementation of the law (interquartile range: 15% to 4% decrease; 7 studies)
• Potential lives saved per year if all states enact 0.08% BAC laws: 400 - 600 (3 studies)
• No evaluations were found that met the Community Guide economic inclusion criteria.

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Prevention & Safety
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Community / Governance
Source
Community Guide Branch Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location
USA
For more details
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/motor-v...
Target Audience
Adults

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.