New York State Task Force on Impaired Driving

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New York StateTask Force on Impaired Driving

• GTSC Committee Meeting
• June 24, 2009

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New York State Fatalities and Alcohol-Related
Fatalities

1,495
1,433
1,410
1,317
1,218
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28
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27
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Background

• Impaired Driving Arrests
• First-time offenders vs. repeat offenders

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Background

• Aggravated DWI Law - .18 BAC
• More severe sanctions license revocation, fine
• Ignition Interlock
• Mandatory assessment for alcohol or drug
  dependence
• No plea bargaining to less than DWI

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Abbreviated DWI Flow Chart
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Development of Simulation Model

• Available data
• Written rules, regulations, other reports
  and research
• Interviewing experts with knowledge and
  experience working in the system

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Systems Approach

• Look at impaired driving system as a whole
• Examine and understand how components fit and
  work together
• Design Task Force around system components

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Task Force Teams

• General Deterrence
• Legislation and Sanctions
• Enforcement
• Prosecution
• Courts
• Probation
• Assessment, Evaluation and Treatment
• Licensing/Relicensing
• Research

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Team Leaders

• Recruit team members
• Conduct team meetings
• Participate in team leader meetings

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Teams

• Identify issues
• Identify top priority issues
• Develop plan for addressing issues

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Team Integration

• Team members on more than one team
• Team leaders meet on regular basis
• Identification of common issues and mechanism for
  addressing

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General Deterrence

• Promoting increased server training more
  emphasis and more substantial consequences for
  serving underage drinkers and persons who are
  highly intoxicated
• Working with SLA and the Restaurant Tavern
  Association to evaluate effectiveness of both
  education and enforcement for licensees
• Gathering input from surveys and public relations
  experts to identify effective messages

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Legislation and Sanctions

• Compiled and reviewed pending legislation
  disseminated to other teams
• Identifying where conforming legislation is
  needed
• Compiling new legislative proposals

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Enforcement

• Communication/coordination/cooperation among
  State, County, City, Town and Village police
  agencies
• Development of comprehensive training tool based
  on newest technology, pertinent case law,
  regulations, testing and toxicology procedures
• Development of comprehensive enforcement
  initiative

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Prosecution

• Standardize arrest processing packet
• Compiling local plea policies practices
• Create statewide recognition awards
• Provide training for tavern owners
  employees
• Organize share strategies/programs for
  teens

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Courts

• Provide training for court personnel (judges,
  justices, magistrates, court clerks)

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Probation

• Working on strategies for more effective
  monitoring of probationers
• Taking lead on special subcommittee on ignition
  interlocks ( specifications, availability)
• Worked cooperatively with DMV to resolve
  communication and reporting issues that had been
  identified

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Assessment, Evaluation Treatment

• Examined data, research reports regarding
  education and assessment
• Reviewed nationally-recognized screening tools
• Reviewed existing laws, regulations, policies and
  procedures related to assessment of convicted
  motorists

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Licensing/Relicensing

• Completed review of VT, Commissioners
  Regulations and DMVs policies and procedures
  related to the licensing/ relicensing of
  convicted impaired drivers
• Identified gaps, inconsistencies and improvement
  opportunities and developed recommendations for
  addressing

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Research

• Fact sheets
• Special analyses
• Statewide telephone survey
• Focus group research

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Common Issues

• Training
• Ignition Interlock
• Licensing/Relicensing

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Accomplishments

• Communication and cooperation
• Greater appreciation of different parts of system
  and how they fit together
• Greater awareness of where system needs to be
  strengthened and how to do that
• Greater exposure and input on legislation

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Next Steps

• Teams continue to meet and work on team issues
• Focus on action plans
• Establish Court Team
• Identify additional common cross- team topics
  (e.g., VT)
• Periodic status reports