title: Sobriety checkpoint and open container laws in the United States: Associations with reported drinking-driving.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess how 2 types of drinking-driving laws-permitting sobriety checkpoints and prohibiting open containers of alcohol in motor vehicles-are associated with drinking-driving and how enforcement efforts may affect these associations.
  
  
  
  We obtained 2010 data on state-level drinking-driving laws and individual-level self-reported drinking-driving from archival sources (Alcohol Policy Information System, NHTSA, and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System). We measured enforcement of the laws via a 2009 survey of state patrol agencies. We computed multilevel regression models (separate models for each type of law) that first examined how having the state law predicted drinking-driving, controlling for various state- and individual-level covariates; we then added the corresponding enforcement measure as another potential predictor.
  
  
  
  We found that states with a sobriety checkpoint law, compared with those without a law, had 18.2% lower drinking-driving; states that conducted sobriety checks at least monthly (vs. not conducting checks) had 40.6% lower drinking-driving (the state law variable was not significant when enforcement was added). We found no significant association between having an open container law and drinking-driving, but states that conducted open container enforcement, regardless of having a law, had 17.6% less drinking-driving.
  
  
  
  Our results suggest that having a sobriety checkpoint law and conducting checkpoints as well as enforcement of open containers laws may be effective strategies for addressing drinking-driving.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Epidemiology and Community Health , School of Public Health, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lenk
authors.affiliation: a Division of Epidemiology and Community Health , School of Public Health, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota.
authors.forename: Toben F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: a Division of Epidemiology and Community Health , School of Public Health, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota.
authors.forename: Traci L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Toomey
authors.affiliation: a Division of Epidemiology and Community Health , School of Public Health, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota.
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jones-Webb
authors.affiliation: a Division of Epidemiology and Community Health , School of Public Health, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota.
authors.forename: Darin J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Erickson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D016208:Databases, Factual; D000066448:Driving Under the Influence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D057766:Policy; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; enforcement; impaired driving; open container; sobriety checkpoints