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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wants states to make drivers caught with high blood alcohol concentrations or repeat drunk driving offenses a high priority, USA Today reported Dec. 8.  NTSB said that 70 percent of the drunk-driving accidents last year were caused by so-called „hard-core“ drunk drivers. According to a new Michigan law, „hard-core“ drunk drivers are individuals who have a second DUI offense within 10 years of their first, or who are found to have at least 0.15 percent alcohol content in their blood. (Source: Join Together, 12/13/10)

President Obama declared December National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) blog, Of Substance, reported Dec. 2.
According to Obama’s proclamation, thousands of Americans lose their lives to „drunk, drugged or distracted driving“ every year. Obama described drugged driving as a „growing problem“ and specifically pointed to the danger of driving under the influence of prescription drugs as well as illicit drugs. He referred to distracted driving — texting or using electronics while driving — as „life-threatening,“ and recommended the Distraction.gov website as a prevention tool.
Obama said the federal government had taken several steps to prevent impaired driving. The government has banned its employees from texting while driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is working with law enforcement nationally to increase identification of drunk drivers during the holidays, and the ONDCP will be educating the public about the increased incidence of drugged driving. (Source: Join Together, 12/09/10)

Airports and airlines are making alcohol increasingly available, USA Today reported Nov. 30.
Airlines began promoting cocktails and other alcohol more heavily in the past year, according to consultant Jay Sorensen. „What’s happening is airlines are becoming better retailers of products,“ Sorensen said. „They’re doing things to highlight the fact that, ‚Yes, indeed, we do sell alcohol on the airplane.‘ They’re trying to mimic what occurs on the ground in terms of consumer promotions.“
One example includes a „happy hour“ offered by American Airlines for fliers purchasing alcohol on certain flights in the month of December. United Airlines gave passengers in its Economy Plus section free wine this past summer and now offers its own signature cocktail. … (Source: Join Together, 12/07/10) Comment: Swiss Parliament just agreed that airports may sell alcohol duty free to arriving passengers too.

The major drink driving initiative launched in Hanoi as part of Global Actions on Harmful Drinking (www.global-actions.org) will be
co-implemented by ICAP and the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC).
The International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) and Vietnam’s National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) today launched a Joint Initiative on Drink Driving to be carried out in Vietnam through 2012 as part of Global Actions on Harmful Drinking
Global Actions on Harmful Drinking is the result of a collective commitment made by the chief executives of major international beverage alcohol producers to make a significant effort to address harmful drinking in the 2010-2012 time frame. Global Actions efforts in 18 low- and middle-income countries are currently addressing three critical areas: Drink Driving, Self-Regulation of Advertising and Marketing, and Noncommercial Alcohol. ICAP is the lead coordinating organization for this series of
initiatives. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/29/10) icap.org, 11.23.10 Comment: ICAP, the institute of Big Alcohol, gets in contact with governments of developing countries. It’s aim is not to reduce alcohol consumption but to avoid that governments introduce effective measures. At least governments are aware that there is an alcohol problem. Will there be a honest evaluation of results?

Public transport officials in Austria are looking across the border as Germany has become entangled in a heated debate over the possible introduction of a „drink and ride“ limit for passengers.
Criminologist Christian Pfeiffer told the Berliner Kurier newspaper today (Fri) the implementation of a legal limit for passengers may slash damage costs and the number of violent incidents.
Especially public transport operators in the country’s capital Berlin have registered a dramatic rise of costs caused by trams, buses and underground trains which are damaged and dirtied. Some officials linked the development to boozing passengers. They also appealed on politicians to step in over the soaring number of fights among drunken passengers. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 23.11.10) austriantimes.at, 11/19/10