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Release Date: June 16, 2004
AD CAMPAIGNS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING
MAY BE EFFECTIVE
By Becky Ham, Science Writer
Health Behavior News Service
A systematic review of ad campaigns against drunk driving, published
in the June issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, suggests
these mass media campaigns can reduce alcohol-related car crashes by 13 percent.
The review
suggests that all of the campaigns were released to a large audience
over a long time period and were thoroughly tested before they
were aired, which may have contributed significantly to their success,
according to Randy Elder, Ph.D., of the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
and colleagues.
Most of the ads were aired in communities with relatively
high levels of law enforcement against drunk driving, leaving it unclear
whether “these
campaigns might have had similar effects in a setting where strong alcohol-impaired
driving prevention activities were not in place,” Elder and colleagues
say.
“The studies reviewed here indicated that under some conditions,
well-executed mass media campaigns can contribute to a reduction in alcohol-impaired
driving and alcohol-related crashes. They also suggest that such campaigns
are cost-saving,” they add.
Elder and colleagues analyzed costs and benefits for two of the campaigns.
One campaign cost $403,174 per month, but the estimated savings from medical
costs, job productivity losses, pain and suffering and property damage
were $8,324,532 per month. The cost-benefit analysis for the second campaign
revealed similar savings.
The researchers combed through the academic literature looking for studies
on effective anti-drunk driving campaigns published before 2002. They chose
eight studies that measured changes in alcohol-related crash rates or blood
alcohol concentration among drivers for their analysis.
Three of the campaigns emphasized the legal consequences of drunk driving,
while the other five focused on the negative social and health aspects
of drunk driving. The different approaches were equally effective, the
researchers found.
One study indicated that paid ads, which usually received more airplay
and reached a wider audience, were more effective at reducing drunk driving
incidents than public service ads. In Kansas, for example, the same campaign
was used in paid and public service ads in different cities. The public
service ads received half as much exposure and had about half as much effect
on alcohol-related crash rates.
# # #
Health Behavior News Service: (202) 387-2829 or www.hbns.org.
Interviews: Contact Gail Hayes, CDC Injury Center Media Relations at (770)
488-4902.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine: Contact the editorial office at (858)
457-7292.
Center for the Advancement of Health
Contact: Ira R. Allen
Director of Public Affairs
202.387.2829
press@cfah.org
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