Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the biggest threats to public safety and well-being on our roadways. In 2021, 1,370 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes, a 16% increase from 2020, accounting for nearly a third of all traffic deaths in California (32%). The OTS-supported programs look at road safety efforts through the lens of the Safe System approach, which accepts that crashes will happen, and that the focus should be on reducing the severity of injuries when a crash occurs. Under this framework, the OTS is able to better address every aspect of crash risks and implement multiple layers of protection to ensure that everyone traveling on California roadways will go safely. Grant programs include enforcement operations dedicated to stopping and arresting suspected impaired drivers, purchase of equipment such as breath testing devices, monitoring and treatment of high-risk DUI offenders, and youth education programs for high school and college students on the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.
ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING PROGRAM AREA GOALS
- Reduce the number of persons killed in alcohol-involved crashes.
- Reduce the number of persons injured in alcohol-involved crashes.
- Reduce hit-and-run fatal crashes.
- Reduce hit-and-run injury crashes.
- Reduce nighttime (2100 – 0259 hours) fatal crashes.
- Reduce nighttime (2100 – 0259 hours) injury crashes.
- Reduce the number of motorcyclists killed in alcohol-involved crashes.
- Reduce the number of motorcyclists injured in alcohol-involved crashes.
