Drinking And Driving .Org – Behind the Wheel

Last week, I received an email from K. expressing concern that DrinkingAndDriving.Org partners with Mr. Checkpoint.  Mr. Checkpoint is a service that provides free text alerts for DUI checkpoints.  Here is K.’s email …

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From: k.

Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2013 8:06 AM

To: dado@drinkinganddriving.org

Subject: website question

Found your website recently and thought it was very good until I came to the link for real time text alerts for DUI checkpoints.  As a parent who lost his only son to a DUI offender I cannot understand why you would want to keep these offenders on the roads by having them avoid a checkpoint that could remove them from the roads and thus save live(s).  I’m trying to be open minded and would like to hear your reasoning.   Thanks, K.

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Here was my response …

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Hello K.,

I understand how you feel and I appreciate both your concern over finding links to Mr. Checkpoint on my website and your willingness to hear my explanation.  First, let me say that I want drunk drivers removed from the roads, but my real agenda is to prevent people from driving under the influence.  The mission of DrinkingAndDriving.Org is to teach and inspire the prevention of drunk driving.

I realize it may seem counterintuitive for Mr. Checkpoint to provide DUI checkpoint updates as a means of prevention.  But prevention is in fact, a major goal of the DUI checkpoint.  As a preventive measure, the DUI checkpoint serves to educate the public and act as a deterrent.

In my view, DUI Saturation Patrols are far more effective in taking the already drunk driver out of the car.  Saturation patrols are covert by nature.  Even when announced, drunk drivers cannot avoid them.

Checkpoints, on the other hand are anything but sneaky.  They are frequently preannounced by the agencies involved and usually take place on busy streets.  They are a huge production with lots of lights and just setting them up frequently alerts most of the local community.

In comparing checkpoints to saturation patrols, the high visibility of checkpoints suggests they serve another purpose beyond arresting drunk drivers.  Indeed, the CDC states that “The goal of these interventions is to deter alcohol-impaired driving by increasing drivers’ perceived risk of arrest.”

So the goal of a DUI checkpoint isn’t just arresting the drunk driver.  It is also intended to raise the conversation about drunk driving and encourage seeking alternatives.  When a checkpoint serves its purpose, people talk about it and make decisions like having a designated driver or taking a taxi.  In these terms, the value of a DUI checkpoint cannot only measured by how many drunk drivers are taken off the road.  We also need to ask how many of them will choose instead to not drive drunk?  We need to consider the impact of the public’s increased perception that they could be arrested.  Is that impact having the desired results?

A service like Mr. Checkpoint enhances this impact on perception by encouraging discussion.  It raises the conversation.  I have spoken at length with Sennett Devermont about his service and its impact.  What I find intriguing about Sennett’s Mr. Checkpoint is the attitude of his audience.  This is a young, connected group who live device-driven lives.  Gathering and sharing information is part of their nature.  Many people find out about Mr. Checkpoint because a friend forwarded an alert to them.

I cannot argue the fact that some drunk people will try to use this information to plan their route.  However, there is much evidence as seen through social networks that this service is being used to avoid arrest by avoiding driving under the influence.

These are people sharing their experiences, and therefore encouraging their friends to also do the right thing.  I see the conversation being raised and drunk driving being prevented.  This is why a service like Mr. Checkpoint fits within the mission of DrinkingAndDriving.Org.

Thank you,

Allen D. Porter

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When K. emailed me, I hopped onto twitter and found the recent picture in the ‘social networks’ link above.  Sennett gets these kinds of pictures all the time.  Here are some others he shared with me last month.

These folks know how to Do the Right Thing!

See, the secret to Mr. Checkpoint is its highly engaged audience.  Here is how Sennett describes it …

Many ANTI-DUI organizations out there do a lot of good by compiling lots of information and research about the harms, consequences, and dangers of drunk driving. This information makes for very compelling arguments why driving under the influence is a very dangerous thing.

The void I see, is that the audience of such organizations don’t tend to be the prime demographic of those out on friday and saturday nights getting boozed up and potentially getting behind the wheel. The only way to become effective in helping to curb drunk driving is to first and foremost reach the right audience. MrCheckpoint has done just that reaching primarily 21-35 year olds that go out virtually every weekend. Using DUI Checkpoints we reach these people directly on their cell phones at the very moment these people are out drinking and having a good time. MrCheckpoint acts as a constant reminder of why not to drive under the influence accompanied with taxi numbers and incentives to take safe more responsible alternatives home.

To prevent drunk driving, you have to seek out the right audience and engage them.  That’s the approach I see being used by Mr. Checkpoint.