Promoting Zero Tolerance

Zero Tolerance Laws are designed to keep our roads and inexperienced young drivers safe. The law is simple – if you are under 21, do not drink and drive.

In states that have enacted Zero Tolerance Laws, nighttime fatal crashes involving underage drivers went down by 16 percent. This is compared to states that did not have Zero Tolerance laws – fatal crashes involving underage drivers went up by 1 percent.

These statistics are encouraging, but what good is a law if nobody knows about it?

Promoting the law is crucial. Public information and education as well as media attention are instrumental in decreasing underage drinking and driving. Many young drivers do not even know about Zero Tolerance laws in their state. If you have been accused of DUI, contact a specialized DUI attorney.

When Maryland passed a Zero Tolerance DUI law in 1989, the number of underage drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes decreased by 11 percent. However, when six counties began a public education campaign about Zero Tolerance laws, they saw a 50 percent decline in underage drinking and driving accidents.

Iowa has also had success in promoting Zero Tolerance laws. Their campaign, titled You Can't Win, was designed to reduce the amount of alcohol-related crashes, fatalities and injuries in persons under the age of 21.

During the first full year of Zero Tolerance Law enforcement, nearly 2,000 drivers under the age of 21 had their licenses revoked.
The impact of Zero Tolerance laws is much greater when the public is made aware of the law and the consequences that come with breaking it.

Spreading the word about Zero Tolerance laws is important in reducing the number of underage drivers who drink and drive. This can be done in several ways:

- Placing Public Service Announcements (Whether on the Radio, Television or in Newspapers)

- Distributing Print Material in Schools

- Showing Videos That Contain Information on Zero Tolerance Laws in Schools