U.S. Department of Transportation

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Printed on recycled paper

Fatalities Attributed to Drinking Drivers

Estimated Lives

Years Actual Predicted Saved with .08 

1998-1999 876 981 105

TRAFFIC TECH

Technology Transfer Series

Number 273 April 2002

.08 PER SE LAW IN ILLINOIS CONTINUES TO SAVE LIVES

In September 2000, the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the results

of a study examining the effectiveness of the .08 per

se law in Illinois (see TRAFFIC TECH 232). A new

study updates these results with 1999 data. The 2000

study, conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research

and Evaluation (PIRE), found that Illinois' .08 law,

which became effective in July 1997, was associated

with a 13.7 percent decrease in the number of drivers

in fatal crashes with positive BACs (blood alcohol

concentrations). This decrease was statistically

significant, and no such decline was seen in the five

neighboring states, all of which had .10 BAC laws at

that time. 

The researchers estimated that the .08 law may have

saved more than 40 lives in Illinois in 1998. The

greatest effects of a new law, however, are often seen

when it is first implemented and the effects may

decrease with time. Since the Effectiveness of the

Illinois .08 Law report was written, another year's

worth of fatality data has become available, allowing

additional analyses to be conducted.

PIRE conducted new time series analyses using 1999

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data. 

FARS is a NHTSA database containing information

about every reported motor vehicle traffic crash in the

United States that involves a fatality. 

Findings

The updated analysis found that the .08 per se law

continues to be associated with a decrease in the

percentage of drinking drivers involved in fatal

crashes -- on the order of 12 percent. Once again,

no such reduction was seen in the neighboring states

of Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and

Wisconsin, all of which had .10 laws. It is

estimated that the .08 law has saved 105 lives in the

first two full calendar years since its implementation

in 1997.

The absolute number of alcohol-related fatalities has

risen in Illinois in recent years. This is not a sign

that the .08 law is not effective. Rather, there had

been an upward trend in alcohol-related fatalities in

Illinois before .08 took effect and the new law has

resulted in a shift in the level of alcohol-related

fatalities with fewer fatalities than would otherwise

be expected. 

Currently, 29 states, plus the District of Columbia

and Puerto Rico have passed .08 BAC laws. In

October 2000, Congress passed, and the President 

signed, the Department of Transportation's 2001

Appropriations Bill. This Bill included the

provision that states must enact .08 per se laws by

2004 or begin losing federal highway construction

funds.

HOW TO ORDER

For a copy of Effectiveness of the Illinois .08 Law: An Update

with 1999 FARS Data (7 pages), write to the Office of Research

and Traffic Records, NHTSA, NTS-31, 400 Seventh Street,

S.W., Washington, DC 20590, fax (202) 366-7096, or

download from www.nhtsa.dot.gov Amy Berning was the

contract manager for this project.
TRAFFIC TECH

U.S. Department 

of Transportation

National Highway 

Traffic Safety 

Administration

400 Seventh Street, S.W. NTS-31

Washington, DC 20590

TRAFFIC TECH is a publication to disseminate

information about traffic safety programs, including

evaluations, innovative programs, and new

publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish. 

If you would like to receive a copy contact:

Linda Cosgrove, Ph.D., Editor, Evaluation Staff

fax (202) 366-7096

EMAIL: lcosgrove@nhtsa.dot.gov