It's Your Choice |
MONTANA |
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PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Alcohol- and drug-related crashes tend
to result in injuries that are more severe than crashes with no alcohol
or drug involvement. In Montana, during the past 10 years, alcohol and drugs
have been a factor in 50 percent of all fatal crashes involving teens. Also,
drivers under the age of 21 are involved at a much higher rate in crashes
than are more mature drivers. Many Montana teens live in rural communities
in which driving after drinking is more likely, especially during events
such as school proms and graduations.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the It's Your Choice program was to reduce youth involvement
in alcohol- and drug-related motor vehicle crashes through the following
objectives:
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In 1990, a Yellowstone County deputy coroner developed the It's Your
Choice program, which is a live re-enactment of a car crash. The crash
is staged with local law enforcement officials, fire departments, and emergency
medical services (EMS) providers during prom and graduation events, when
heavy drinking and driving is common. The presentation uses students who
volunteer to be made up as crash victims. A narrator explains the events
as they happen, describes the results of the injuries, and reveals the long-term
impact on the survivors and their families.
The It's Your Choice program was initiated
in Yellowstone County, but has expanded to reach most colleges, high schools
and middle schools in the state. To reach the rural communities, where a
re-enactment on-site might not be feasible, the Yellowstone County DUI Task
Force formed a partnership with a local television station to produce a
professional-quality video of the re-enactment for distribution throughout
the state. This video received the National Commission Against Drunk Driving
Media Awareness Award.
RESULTS This program has inspired collaboration among law enforcement agencies, EMS providers, fire departments, schools, hospitals, funeral homes and the media to take an active part in addressing the issue of impaired driving among Montana youth. |
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Winter 1998 |