Highway Safety

When it comes to researching and improving highway safety, there are dozens of major areas of concern. Some of the factors subjected to intensive study include the effects of alcohol and drugs on drivers, whether child safety restraints are saving lives, and pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Such questions as whether seatbelts are effective or cell phones are causing accidents are also serious issues.

Drinking and Driving

Alcohol consumption and drug abuse continue to be major factors in a significant number of accidents involving injuries, damage, and fatalities. Most states have elected to establish sobriety checkpoints to determine the percentage of drivers who are legally intoxicated and still behind the wheel. There are penalties for failing the tests at checkpoints.

All 50 states now have seat belt traffic laws. Many states have, or are considering, primary seat belt laws, which permit officers to stop and ticket drivers when anyone in a vehicle is observed as not wearing a seat belt. A newer highway safety issue is the proliferation of high-tech radios, CD players with complex disc changers, and, finally, cell phones.

Persons who are operating vehicles while performing a non-driving-related task now face laws that preclude the use of cell phones without a hands-free device. Most states have implemented television, radio, and print ad campaigns designed to reach the populations most likely to be affected by these issues. There is continuous research being done to ascertain the effectiveness of these campaigns and of highway safety laws that have been passed with the purpose of saving lives.