Gwen Bergen1, Adesola Pitan2, Shuli Qu2, Ruth A Shults3, Sajal K Chattopadhyay2, Randy W Elder2, David A Sleet3, Heidi L Coleman4, Richard P Compton4, James L Nichols4, John M Clymer5, William B Calvert6. 1. Home, Recreation, and Transportation Branch, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia. Electronic address: gjb8@cdc.gov. 2. Community Guide Branch, Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia. 3. Home, Recreation, and Transportation Branch, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia. 4. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, District of Columbia. 5. National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, Washington, District of Columbia. 6. United States Navy, Portsmouth, Virginia.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Publicized sobriety checkpoint programs deter alcohol-impaired driving by stopping drivers systematically to assess their alcohol impairment. Sobriety checkpoints were recommended in 2001 by the Community Preventive Services Task Force for reducing alcohol-impaired driving, based on strong evidence of effectiveness. Since the 2001 review, attention to alcohol-impaired driving as a U.S. public health problem has decreased. This systematic review was conducted to determine if available evidence supports the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs in reducing alcohol-impaired driving, given the current context. The economic costs and benefits of the intervention were also assessed. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This review focused on studies that evaluated the effects of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs on alcohol-involved crash fatalities. Using Community Guide methods, a systematic search was conducted for studies published between July 2000 and March 2012 that assessed the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Fourteen evaluations of selective breath testing and one of random breath testing checkpoints met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review, conducted in 2012. Ten evaluations assessed the effects of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs on alcohol-involved crash fatalities, finding a median reduction of 8.9% in this crash type (interquartile interval=-16.5%, -3.5%). Five economic evaluations showed benefit-cost ratios ranging from 2:1 to 57:1. CONCLUSIONS: The number of studies, magnitude of effect, and consistency of findings indicate strong evidence of the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs in reducing alcohol-involved crash fatalities. Economic evidence shows that these programs also have the potential for substantial cost savings. Published by Elsevier Inc.
CONTEXT: Publicized sobriety checkpoint programs deter alcohol-impaired driving by stopping drivers systematically to assess their alcohol impairment. Sobriety checkpoints were recommended in 2001 by the Community Preventive Services Task Force for reducing alcohol-impaired driving, based on strong evidence of effectiveness. Since the 2001 review, attention to alcohol-impaired driving as a U.S. public health problem has decreased. This systematic review was conducted to determine if available evidence supports the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs in reducing alcohol-impaired driving, given the current context. The economic costs and benefits of the intervention were also assessed. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This review focused on studies that evaluated the effects of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs on alcohol-involved crash fatalities. Using Community Guide methods, a systematic search was conducted for studies published between July 2000 and March 2012 that assessed the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Fourteen evaluations of selective breath testing and one of random breath testing checkpoints met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review, conducted in 2012. Ten evaluations assessed the effects of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs on alcohol-involved crash fatalities, finding a median reduction of 8.9% in this crash type (interquartile interval=-16.5%, -3.5%). Five economic evaluations showed benefit-cost ratios ranging from 2:1 to 57:1. CONCLUSIONS: The number of studies, magnitude of effect, and consistency of findings indicate strong evidence of the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs in reducing alcohol-involved crash fatalities. Economic evidence shows that these programs also have the potential for substantial cost savings. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Authors: David W Eby; Lisa J Molnar; Lidia P Kostyniuk; Renée M St Louis; Nicole Zanier; James M Lepkowski; Gwen Bergen Journal: J Safety Res Date: 2017-09-04
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