High Visibility Enforcement
Law enforcement agencies routinely utilize general deterrence strategies to prevent drunk driving. If drivers perceive there to be a high probability that they will be caught and arrested, it is more likely that they will not drive drunk. The reason that High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) strategies work well is because they counter drunk drivers’ beliefs that they can avoid detection.
Research shows that in order to be effective, enforcement activities must be:
- Well planned
- Properly executed
- Highly visible
- Sustained for substantial periods of time
These deterrent strategies must also be complemented by public information campaigns.
Responsibility.org supports the use of HVE to reduce impaired driving. We believe that these comprehensive enforcement efforts should be utilized strategically in areas with a high occurrence of impaired driving crashes or fatalities.