The Canadian drinking-driving countermeasure experience.

An overview of countermeasures implemented and evaluated in Canada to reduce impaired driving and alcohol-related accidents and fatalities are presented. Intervention strategies to detect and/or deter impaired drivers included legal measures, public information and education campaigns, rehabilitative programmes for convicted impaired drivers and technological aids to the prevention and detection of impairment. In general, the impact on drinking and driving of most countermeasures has been limited and short-term. The full effect of many countermeasure efforts was impeded by methodological shortcomings of the evaluations. Overall, the findings suggest that there is a need to take a comprehensive approach, tackling both drinking habits and driving habits. In order to effect behavioural change, a systems-oriented strategy would focus on motivational factors and alternative actions to drinking and driving.