Alcohol-impaired driving* continues to be one of the nation's most serious public health problems. There is now little question that consumption of alcoholic beverages, even in amounts much lower than the legal limit, is a major contributor to motor vehicle crashes and the casualties and injuries that result.1,2 One study estimates that eliminating alcohol would reduce traffic fatalities by 47 percent (± 4%), equivalent to a reduction of between 20,000 and 24,000 fatalities annually.3 There is no doubt that a reduction in alcohol-impaired driving would result in a substantial savings of human lives and resources, worldwide.4
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