DUI Prevention
Prevention Savings of Impaired Driving Measures
Arizona already has many important impaired driving laws. They are saving money and lives. The estimates that follow describe the expected costs and savings, given Arizonas prices and impaired driving rates. The estimates assume Arizonas laws achieve average U.S. effectiveness levels.
Administrative License Revocation: Laws that allow police or driver licensing authorities to revoke a drivers license swiftly and automatically for refusing or failing a BAC test have reduced alcohol-related fatalities by 6.5% on average and saved an estimated $54,100 per driver sanctioned. The value of the drivers lost mobility is the large majority of the estimated $2,700 cost per driver sanctioned. Reinstatement fees assessed to offenders typically cover start-up and operating costs.
Zero Tolerance Law: Laws like Arizonas that make it illegal for persons under 21 to drive with a positive BAC have reduced impaired-driving fatalities by 4% on average. Per licensed youth driver, these laws cost approximately $30 and yield net savings of $700. Medical care cost savings alone exceed the intervention cost. The primary cost is the value of mobility lost by youth who are forced to reduce their drinking or driving.
.08 BAC Law: A well-publicized state law lowering driver BAC limits to .08 can potentially reduce alcohol-related fatalities by an average of 7%. On average, Arizonas .08 law saves an estimated $41 per licensed driver. The value of mobility losses and alcohol sales reductions resulting from the law are the large majority of the estimated $2.90 cost per licensed driver.
Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA): To reduce alcohol-related fatal crashes among youth, Arizona has adopted a MLDA of 21. It saves an estimated $550 per youthful driver. The loss of liquor sales is the large majority of the $160 cost per youthful driver.
Potential Savings from Further Prevention Efforts
A number of additional strategies can mitigate the harm from impaired driving. The following paragraphs estimate the potential savings, in Arizonas prices, if other proven impaired driving prevention measures were widely implemented in Arizona.