The number of Maryland motorists who drink and drive is about half of what it was five years ago, a new report suggests.
In a University of Maryland School of Public Health study, 7.5 percent of surveyed drivers admitted to having a few drinks and hitting the road at least once in the 30 days leading up to the survey. That’s down from 14 percent in 2004 — a 45 percent drop.
The study covered a variety of traffic safety issues, including cell phone use — up 12 percent from 2003, with 62 percent of people saying they used a phone while driving at least once in the month before taking the survey. Concern over the issue grew steadily as well, to 85 percent in 2009.
But more respondents were concerned with intoxicated drivers on the roads, with 90 percent of survey participants calling it a critical concern. They reflected growing support for mandatory sanctions against drunken drivers such as fines, car impoundment and ignition interlocks, devices used to prevent past offenders from starting their vehicle if their blood alcohol content is above the legal limit.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving Maryland was motivated by the support for ignition interlocks for people convicted of driving under the influence, legislation that MADD Regional Executive Director Caroline Cash said her organization has been pushing.
“The study is an indicator that people are getting the message,” Cash said.
But that message might not be quite clear to some Maryland motorists: The number of drunken driving arrests remained about the same during the survey period. Meanwhile, the number of drunken driving fatalities has fallen slightly.
Statistics in Montgomery County aren’t much different, with both DUI and driving while intoxicated arrests increasing.
“There are a growing number of [alcohol and drug recognition] experts on the force,” said Montgomery County police spokeswoman Lucille Baur. “We’ve made identifying impaired drivers and getting them off the road a high priority.”
