Drunk Driving
Conclusion : Combining drinking with driving established a powerful link through which MADD and other groups were able to create and impose their definition of the problem . Like other policies , the process of problem definition creates a social construction of the targeted groups , helping us to understand which policy tools will be adopted
Introduction
Drunk driving is a primary cause of highway traffic accidents causing deaths and injuries with enormous monetary costs to society . The drunk driving was first recognized as a policy problem in the literature in 1904 , approximately 5 years after the first highway traffic fatality in the United States (Voas and Lacey . In 1982 , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started keeping statistics of alcohol related crashes through its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS (Stewart and Fell . In 1982 , there were 26 ,173 alcohol related fatalities , which constituted 60 of all highway fatalities . In 2002 about 17 ,419 or roughly 41 of about 42 ,815 highway fatalities were estimated to be alcohol related which indicates a 19 change since 1982 (Stewart and Fell . Overall , alcohol related traffic fatalities have reduced by about 33 over the last two decades . Policies implemented to curb drunk driving in the last two decades seem to have an impact on alcohol related fatalities . FARS data shows a 62 decrease (1 .64 to .61 in alcohol related fatality rate since 1982 (Stewart and Fell
The general decline in the alcohol related fatalities for the general population is believed to be due to a combination of deterrent based laws , increased alcohol awareness and decrease in alcohol consumption increased publicity about prevention , and general car safety measures (Stewart and Fell . Starting 1980s , drunk driving has been conceptualized as a criminal justice issue . With the effect of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD ) and some other citizen activist groups , the issue has become a public policy
Introduction
Drunk driving is a primary cause of highway traffic accidents causing deaths and injuries with enormous monetary costs to society . The drunk driving was first recognized as a policy problem in the literature in 1904 , approximately 5 years after the first highway traffic fatality in the United States (Voas and Lacey . In 1982 , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started keeping statistics of alcohol related crashes through its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS (Stewart and Fell . In 1982 , there were 26 ,173 alcohol related fatalities , which constituted 60 of all highway fatalities . In 2002 about 17 ,419 or roughly 41 of about 42 ,815 highway fatalities were estimated to be alcohol related which indicates a 19 change since 1982 (Stewart and Fell . Overall , alcohol related traffic fatalities have reduced by about 33 over the last two decades . Policies implemented to curb drunk driving in the last two decades seem to have an impact on alcohol related fatalities . FARS data shows a 62 decrease (1 .64 to .61 in alcohol related fatality rate since 1982 (Stewart and Fell
The general decline in the alcohol related fatalities for the general population is believed to be due to a combination of deterrent based laws , increased alcohol awareness and decrease in alcohol consumption increased publicity about prevention , and general car safety measures (Stewart and Fell . Starting 1980s , drunk driving has been conceptualized as a criminal justice issue . With the effect of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD ) and some other citizen activist groups , the issue has become a public policy
Cited: Baum , Scott "Drink Driving as a Social Problem : Comparing the Attitudes and Knowledge of Drink Driving Offenders and the General Community Accident Analysis and Prevention . 32 (2000 : 689-694 Evans , William N , Doreen Neville , and John D Meier , Kenneth J (1994 . The Politics of Sin : Drugs , Alcohol , and Public Policy . Armonk , NY : M .E . Sharpe Meier , Kenneth J "Drugs , Sex , Rock , and Roll : A Theory of Morality Politics " Policy Studies Journal Ross , H . Laurence . Confronting Drunk Driving : Social Policy for Saving Lives . New Haven , CT : Yale University Press , 1992 Stewart , Kathryn and James Fell "Trends in Impaired Driving in the United States : Complacency or Backsliding " In Daniel R