Place of Last Drink (POLD) Implementation: Examination of Five Sites Using the POLD Implementation Framework

Abstract

Alcohol-impaired driving continues to be a significant problem in the United States. In 2022, over 13,500 fatalities were attributed to crashes where at least one driver was alcohol-impaired. Alcohol-impaired drivers were involved in 32% of traffic fatalities in 2022. Alcohol is a serious public health problem related to injury, death, and violence. One factor contributing to impaired driving is overservice at licensed alcohol establishments—research shows that over 80% of bars and restaurants will sell alcohol to someone who appears obviously intoxicated. Place of Last Drink (POLD) is an approach that law enforcement agencies can use to address alcohol-impaired driving incidents by identifying alcohol establishments that overserve alcohol. To implement POLD, a law enforcement officer collects information on the last place someone consumed alcohol before an alcohol-related traffic stop or incident. Authorities can work with an establishment identified as the POLD, require corrective action, or impose sanctions. Only a handful of studies have examined implementation of POLD, but they identify substantial differences in implementation and use of POLD data. To assess its effectiveness, it is essential to understand how POLD is implemented. This study examines case studies from five sites that are implementing POLD using a POLD implementation framework to compare and contrast implementation, identify differences. common strategies, strengths, and areas for improvement to inform and improve future implementation. The study shows there is a need to better understand how POLD is implemented and used in other sites, to develop clearer recommendations for its use.