The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #72533

Linda C. Degutis, DrPH¹, Norman A. Giesbrecht, PhD², Helen Sayward, MA¹, and Gina Stoduto, MA². (1) Section of Emergency Medicine, Yale University, 464 Congress Ave, Suite 260, New Haven, CT 06519, 203.785.3917, linda.degutis@yale.edu, (2) Social, Prevention & Health Policy Research Department, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada

Background: U.S. and Canadian DWI policies differ in several ways: U.S. policy is formulated primarily on the state level whereas Canadian policy is primarily federal; blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits are lower in Canada than in the U.S., and the minimum legal drinking age is lower in Canada than in the U.S. This presentation provides a comparative analysis of DWI laws in states and provinces, and examines the impact of federal legislation related to DWI.

Purpose: To examine the effect of the interplay of various societal, political, and policy dimensions on the introduction of DWI laws and administrative and enforcement procedures; to explore similarities and differences in these factors between states and provinces which passed and failed to pass DWI measures; to examine the effect of federal incentives on introduction and passage of DWI laws; to explore opposition to the laws; to examine the political and financial influence of special interest groups on the passage of the laws and to describe the relative contribution of various factors to the passage of DWI laws.

Methods: Multiple strategies were used including: 1) review of introduction of DWI legislation in selected states and provinces over the past 10 years; 2) abstraction of information related to: existing alcohol policies; traffic safety and enforcement; legislative history for DWI legislation; alcohol sales data; hospitality and alcohol beverage industry data; 3) key informant interviews to determine perceptions of factors that led to passage or failure to pass DWI measures; and 4) review of federal legislation and initiatives.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this presentation, the participant will be able to:
• 1)Describe at least 2 primary differences between DWI laws in the US and Canada;
• 2)Discuss the impact of federal legislation on state-level introduction of DWI laws in the US.
• 3)Identify at least 2 obstacles to the passage of DWI laws in the US and Canada.

Keywords: Legislative, Social Activism

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.