Details:

Corporate Creators:
United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Accident Rates Benefit Cost Analysis Drunk Driving Evaluation Fatalities Highway Safety Safety Programs Traffic Law Enforcement
Publication/ Report Number:
DOT HS 812 098
Series:
NHTSA BSR Traffic Tech
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21949/1525839
Resource Type:
Brief
Geographical Coverage:
United States ; Washington
United States ; Washington Less -
Corporate Publisher:
United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Abstract:
In late 2006, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) assembled a full-time, high-visibility saturation patrol called the Night Emphasis Enforcement Team (NEET). This pilot program, based in Snohomish County and funded by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), employed a detachment of troopers who focused their efforts almost exclusively on the enforcement of impaired driving and related traffic offenses (e.g., speeding and nonuse of seat belts). A 2012 NHTSA Research Note (Cicchino, 2012) indicated that traffic fatalities decreased by 40.3 percent in Snohomish County from 2005 (before the NEET program began) to 2008. In Washington State counties without NEET patrols, traffic fatalities decreased by 17.7 percent during that time. Washington State expanded the NEET program by establishing three detachments of WSP troopers to focus on nighttime impaired-driving offenses. WTSC and the WSP named these detachments Target Zero Teams (TZT) since they supported Washington’s “Target Zero” strategic highway safety plan, which includes the goal of reducing traffic fatalities in Washington State to zero by 2030. From July 2010 to June 2012, Washington deployed one detachment (one sergeant and six troopers) in each of the three largest counties in the State— King, Pierce, and Snohomish. The WTSC also provided TZT grant funding to local law enforcement to conduct overtime enforcement focused on driving under the influence (DUI) offenses. For research purposes, three other counties (Clark, Spokane, and Yakima) were chosen to serve as comparison sites. These counties did not have any formal WTSC-funded TZT activities taking place. The evaluation focused on (a) the program’s effectiveness in increasing DUI enforcement; (b) whether TZT resulted in decreased alcohol-involved driving, crashes, and fatalities in the intervention counties, in relation to the comparison counties and statewide; (c) public awareness and media coverage of the project; and (d) the cost/benefit of TZT to the State of Washington.
Format:
PDF
Collection(s):
NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Research
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:035a1fd32e6f5944931aa882233effd00ddde5c7b9b6b73222f5b18a67950de1
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/2020/dot_2020_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• No Additional Files

More +