Alcohol-related crashes continue to be a major public health problem resulting in over a half million injuries and $51 billion in losses each year. Unfortunately, despite renewed efforts, progress on this problem has been stalled for more than a decade. To resume progress, new strategies and policies are needed. The principal aim of this P20 is to form an Impaired-Driving Center (IDC) that brings together experts from different disciplines to produce a thorough and synergistic study of the existing impaired-driving prevention system. This will help to resume progress by (1) providing a comprehensive understanding of the impaired driving problem;(2) determining how the current system can be improved;and (3) developing new laws, policies, and measures to deal with the impaired-driving problems. The proposed IDC will be directed by Robert B. Voas. The plan for a 3-year effort will integrate currently separate programs funded from several sources to grow the IDC's capability in areas where programs are limited. The staffing plan for the IDC has been developed with two goals in mind: fostering interdisciplinary team work and providing for the development of midlevel and junior research staff into study directors for the P60 application. Three research domains within the impaired-driving field have been identified-reduction of high-risk drinking, deterrence of impaired driving, and reduction in DWI recidivism. Each will be subdivided into two research """"""""modules"""""""" that will be candidates for components in the future P60 application. Each module will be directed by a PI RE midlevel scientist who will be paired with a Senior Scientist with 20 to 40 years of experience in alcohol safety research. They will mentor the Module Directors, encourage communications between Module Directors and other IDC staff, and ensure that the IDC's work is progressing as planned. Also submitted for funding under this P20 grant are three preliminary/developmental studies that will lead to applications for full R01 grants to extend our effort to qualify for the P60 program. Public Health Relevance: Impaired driving is both a major public health problem and a major economic problem. Of greater concern is lack of progress in the last decade in reducing this serious problem that kills and maims more of our young people than the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. This IDC will bring experts from different areas to search for new strategies to curb the problem.
Impaired driving is both a major public health problem and a major economic problem. Of greater concern is lack of progress in the last decade in reducing this serious problem that kills and maims more of our young people than the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. This IDC will bring experts from different areas to search for new strategies to curb the problem.
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