Virginia Combats Drunk Driving By Launching Massive Sobriety Checkpoint Blitz - Every Week, Everywhere

Governor Warner Declares Need for Increased Checkpoints As Part of DUI Task Force Report

- Dramatic and Realistic Checkpoint Strikeforce Radio Ads Highlight Dangers, Raise Awareness - - Half-Million Dollar, Four-Month Media Campaign Saturates Virginia Airways - - New Survey Shows Virginians View Drunk Driving as Leading Serious Danger on the Road -

RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 27 -- As countless Virginians prepare to hit the highways for the long Labor Day weekend -- historically among the deadliest periods of the year for driving -- the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and State Police (VSP) are launching the Checkpoint Strikeforce sobriety checkpoint and public awareness campaign. Striving to build on the landmark successes of last year's initial Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign, the agencies are reminding citizens -- through a half-million dollar media campaign and other public outreach -- of the many dangers and consequences of impaired driving, including getting caught and arrested at one of numerous sobriety checkpoints blanketing Virginia during the remainder of 2003.

The campaign was announced today as Governor Mark R. Warner unveiled the findings of his year-long Task Force to Combat Driving Under the Influence of Drugs and Alcohol, which was appointed to assess current efforts in combating drunk driving and make recommendations for new strategies. Stepped-up deployment of sobriety checkpoints and enhanced public awareness/education campaigns are among the Task Force's 33 recommendations.

For the second year in a row, drunk driving deaths are on the rise in Virginia, according to new data from DMV. More people were killed in impaired driving crashes in Virginia in 2002 than in 2001 (375 deaths in 2002 vs. 358 in 2001). During the past 20 years, the number of deaths annually from drunk driving has ranged from 393 in 1981 to a high of 535 in 1990 and a low of 302 in 1997.

"With drunk driving fatalities rising again on Virginia highways, we must redouble our efforts," said Governor Warner. "This task force has produced recommendations that build on what has worked best in the past with new strategies. Because sobriety checkpoints and public education are among the most effective ways to combat drunk driving, I could not be a stronger supporter of the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign."

Supported by a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grant through the Virginia DMV to the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, Checkpoint Strikeforce is a highly focused, zero tolerance law enforcement effort to catch and arrest drunk drivers via sobriety checkpoints. Studies show that sobriety checkpoints can reduce alcohol-related crashes by as much as 20 percent.

"As part of Checkpoint Strikeforce, members of Virginia's law enforcement community will be out in full force this holiday weekend and during the remainder of the year conducting sobriety checkpoints," said State Police Superintendent Col. W. Gerald Massengill, III. State Police and local law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth are conducting at least one checkpoint every week, everywhere, through New Year's Day."

Checkpoint Strikeforce is this week launching a series of creative radio ads designed specifically to target 21- to 35-year-olds -- a hard-to-reach audience that is statistically most at risk for drunk driving. Of all fatal crashes, drivers in this age group have the highest incidence of intoxication -- approaching double the rate of teenagers and drivers 45 and older. (Source: NHTSA)

The first ad, titled "The Checkpoint Zone," uses eerie music and a script that harkens to the famous "The Twilight Zone" TV series to set the mood and illustrate the nervous fear that arises when an impaired driver suddenly comes across a checkpoint. In the second ad, titled "Unhappy Hour," a young woman describes to a girlfriend how a bad experience with her boyfriend being arrested at a checkpoint resulted in the demise of their relationship. The third ad, called "Add it All Up," parodies MasterCard's well-known "Priceless" ad to illustrate the enormous costs associated with a drunk driving arrest. (See ad scripts in press kit or at www.wrap.org.)

Polling for the campaign found that 60 percent of all Virginians believe that drunk drivers are among the most serious dangers they face on the road. The survey, conducted by Andres McKenna Research, also found that nearly half of all Virginians support strengthening drunk driving laws -- more than eight times as many people who reported that law enforcement of such laws is too strong. Interestingly, among Virginians who acknowledged that they had recently driven after drinking, "drinking drivers" appeared far less likely to characterize current enforcement efforts of drunk driving laws as too weak and they were more skeptical about the possibility of being stopped. These findings underscore the need for increased awareness and visibility of sobriety checkpoints as deterrents to impaired driving. (See analysis and full research instrument in press kit.)

Last year's inaugural campaign produced measurable results. In an independent poll conducted at the conclusion of the campaign, support for sobriety checkpoints increased as more than seven out of 10 Virginians (71 percent) reported that they strongly support sobriety checkpoints, and 82 percent said they are a useful tool in keeping drunk drivers off the road. Additionally, 81 percent of Virginians believe that sobriety checkpoints are a "good investment of tax dollars."

For more information or to hear the ads, please log onto www.wrap.org.