Impaired Driving

The term “Impaired Driving” has historically referred to drivers who operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol since alcohol has long been the most prevalent substance impairing drivers on our roadways. This has begun to change and the incidence of impaired driving due to drugs and other substances has increased in recent years with the availability of legalized marijuana in a number of states and the opioid crisis.

Alcohol-impaired driving continues to be a serious threat to public safety in the United States and in South Dakota. In 2016, 1.02 million arrests occurred nationwide for driving under the influence of alcohol offenses (FBI, 2016). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, 2016), data collected from all fifty states and Washington, D.C. identified 37,461 traffic fatalities in 2016. Approximately 30 percent of DUI arrests each year involve repeat offenders (Simpson, Mayhew, & Beirness, 1996). Research has shown that repeat offenders are over represented in fatal traffic crashes (Fell, 1995).

Each year about 1% of all licensed drivers are arrested for a DUI offense and approximately one third of all DUI arrests are repeat offenders (Fell, 1995).  Attempts to reduce DUI recidivism are typically pursued through broad methods including the passage and enforcement of laws remediating offenders and through a combination of sanctions, education, and treatment (Hedlund, 1995). Traditional sentencing sanctions available to the judiciary have not been particularly successful with DUI first offenders and are even less successful with repeat DUI offenders (Wallace, 2008).

The following graph illustrates the trend in filings for DUI offenses in the state since XXX.

Related Projects:

South Dakota Public Safety DUI Program

In an attempt to reduce the number of re-offenses for first time DUI offenders, South Dakota developed a twelve hour, standardized, evidence-based curriculum for first time DUI offenders that included education and cognitive-behavioral components. A cadre of providers from across the state have been trained through 2-day certification training and annual refresher training.  In addition, providers are required to implement the program consistent with outlined standards to maintain program fidelity. The providers coordinate with the courts for referral of first DUI offenders

Since its inception in 2003, the South Dakota Public Safety DUI Program has served over 19,000 DUI first offenders.  Between October 1, 2018-September 30, 2019 there were 167 courses offered and 1,020 individuals took the course. Of those participating in the DUI First Course, 72.1% were male. Individuals age 20 to 29 years accounted for 37.5% of course participants. The largest racial group was Caucasian (75.8%) followed by American Indian (15.7%) and Other Races Combined (8.6%).

 Key Findings

Upon completion of the course participants were asked “Overall how would you rate this course?” Of the individuals that participated in the program during FFY 2019, ninety-eight percent of all participants rated the course as “good” or “excellent”. Across all agencies and demographic groups (gender, age group, ethnicity) all ratings were higher than 90%. When asked about usefulness of course activities, 75.9% of participants rated the class discussion as “very useful”; 67.7% rated the workbook as “very useful”;  and 67.8% rated the change plan as “very useful”.

Instructors were highly rated with over 99% of participants rating them “good” or “excellent” in each attribute: instructors made everyone feel comfortable (99.4%), involved everyone (99.4), explained material clearly (99.7%) and for overall quality 99.7% rated them as good or excellent. Ninety-nine percent of course participants thought the material was valuable or very valuable and would be helpful or very helpful in helping them change their drinking and driving behavior.

Individuals participating in the SD Public Safety DUI course completed a number of forms that provided information used to evaluate changed in knowledge and attitude in the form of a Pre and Post-test. Across all agencies and demographic groups studied, there was a significant move in the positive direction from Pre-Test to Post-Test on both knowledge and attitude questions. The average gain on the Post-Test was 3.2 points on knowledge questions and 5.0 points on attitude questions.