Two primary behaviors related to fatal crashes are failure to use safety  belts and driving while impaired by alcohol. An HVE campaign  combines intensive enforcement of a specific traffic safety law with  extensive communication, education, and outreach informing the public  about the enforcement activity. NHTSA uses available funding  to purchase national media time and conduct evaluations for the  campaigns (see table 1). NHTSA Has Implemented the HVE Program but Could Improve the Annual Evaluations of Campaign Effectiveness

NHTSA has implemented the HVE program, including two high-visibility  traffic safety law enforcement campaigns to improve safety belt use and  reduce impaired driving. Specifically, to meet the requirements in place  since SAFETEA-LU, NHTSA has (1) developed and disseminated  advertisements, (2) coordinated with states to conduct the HVE  campaigns, and (3) evaluated the results of the campaigns. However, the  evaluations have shortcomings that limit NHTSA’s ability to assess the  level of state activity and the overall effectiveness of the campaigns. Since 2005, NHTSA has annually developed  a National Communications Plan that sets forth a national HVE campaign  advertising strategy. For example, the plan specifies goals, dates, target  audiences, and core campaign messages for the campaigns. State Officials Report That NHTSA’s Coordination Efforts Help Them Conduct Successful Campaigns

NHTSA coordinates with the states and provides resources to help states  carry out the campaigns through several means, including the National  Communications Plan, guidance on conducting HVE campaigns, technical  assistance on advertisements, and collateral advertising materials. Officials in selected states reported that NHTSA’s coordination efforts  provided the support and interaction needed to successfully conduct HVE  campaigns. NHTSA also  provides collateral materials such as posters, Web banners, talking points,  and model press releases. NHTSA’s Annual Evaluations Are Limited by Inconsistent and Incomplete Data

NHTSA’s annual evaluations of the HVE campaigns include information on  the level of enforcement activity and the results of the campaigns based on  performance measures, such as message awareness, earned media  activity, safety belt use, and fatality and injury statistics. However, the data on HVE campaign activity—such as the number of  agencies participating in the campaigns, hours worked by law  enforcement officers, citations issued, DUI enforcement actions, and  advertisements purchased by states—that states report to NHTSA are not  complete or consistent; this situation limits NHTSA’s ability to evaluate  the overall level of state enforcement and advertising activity and the  extent to which states use federal funding—through traffic safety grants— to support HVE campaigns. Due to these inconsistencies, NHTSA has reported that it is not  possible to provide meaningful analyses and comparisons of state  activities to conduct HVE campaigns. For example, while NHTSA measures the change in  daytime safety belt use for the driver and right front passenger in  passenger cars, vans, sports utility vehicles, and pickup trucks, it does not  directly measure nighttime safety belt use, despite recent efforts to  increase the use of safety belts at night. Selected State Officials Report That HVE Campaigns Are Contributing to Increased Safety Belt Use and Reduced Fatalities, but Several Challenges Hinder Further Progress

According to officials in selected states we visited, HVE campaigns are  contributing to increased safety belt use and reduced alcohol-involved  fatalities. From 1997 to 2006,  all of the selected states experienced a decrease in alcohol-involved  fatality rates. Challenge in Increasing Safety Belt Use and Reducing Impaired Driving among Resistant Populations

Officials in selected states face the challenge of increasing safety belt use  and reducing impaired driving among resistant populations, such as  drivers in rural areas, pickup truck drivers, and hardcore drinking drivers. For example,  NHTSA provides funds that states can use to provide equipment, such as  breath-testing units, that are used as incentives to improve participation. NHTSA has fulfilled the requirements for  implementing an HVE program by developing advertising, coordinating  with states, and evaluating the effectiveness of the campaigns. Develop and include additional performance measures—such as a  measure for nighttime safety belt use and additional measures of media  effectiveness—in the agency’s annual evaluations of the effectiveness of  the two campaigns. To determine the impact of the high-visibility enforcement campaigns and  what challenges exist, we interviewed officials from state highway traffic  safety offices, state police, and local police in the seven selected states.
Why GAO Did This Study

Two primary risk behaviors related to fatal traffic crashes are failure to use safety belts and driving while impaired by alcohol. High-visibility enforcement (HVE) campaigns that combine enforcement of a traffic safety law with media to inform the public about the campaign are effective in reducing these behaviors. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users authorized funding of an HVE program, including safety belt and impaired-driving campaigns. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) within the Department of Transportation (DOT) provides media and coordinates with states to provide enforcement activities for the campaigns. This report addresses (1) the extent to which NHTSA has implemented the HVE program and (2) for selected states, the impact of the campaigns and challenges that exist in conducting the campaigns. To conduct this work, GAO analyzed fatality data, plans, and evaluations and interviewed officials from DOT and seven selected states.

What GAO Found

NHTSA has fully implemented the high-visibility enforcement program by (1) developing and disseminating advertising, (2) coordinating with states on media and enforcement activities, and (3) annually evaluating the effectiveness of the two HVE campaigns; however, NHTSA's evaluations have shortcomings that limit the agency's ability to determine the effectiveness of the campaigns. Regarding advertising, NHTSA introduced an annual plan in 2005 that sets forth a strategy for the campaign advertisements, developed advertisements, and purchased national media time for the advertisements. To coordinate with states, NHTSA provides an overall strategy and guidance to assist states in conducting the campaigns, as well as technical assistance and collateral materials, such as posters and model press releases. Officials in selected states reported that NHTSA's coordination efforts provided the support and interaction needed to conduct HVE campaigns. Although NHTSA's annual evaluations of campaign effectiveness indicate that the campaigns are helping to improve safety belt use and reduce impaired driving, the evaluations have shortcomings that limit NHTSA's ability to assess the level of state and local activity--a key component of the campaigns--and the overall effectiveness of the campaigns. For example, the information that NHTSA has on states' activities is inconsistent and incomplete because reporting of such data is generally voluntary for local law enforcement agencies. As a result, NHTSA has reported that it cannot provide meaningful analyses and comparisons of state activities. NHTSA's ability to measure the campaigns' overall effectiveness is also hindered because the performance measures used to evaluate the campaigns are not comprehensive. For example, while NHTSA measures daytime safety belt use, it does not directly measure nighttime safety belt use, despite recent efforts to increase safety belt use at night. In addition, NHTSA's evaluations do not include measures of the effectiveness of the campaigns at reaching all target audiences. NHTSA is working to develop more comprehensive performance measures. According to officials in selected states GAO visited, the campaigns are contributing to increased safety belt use and reduced alcohol-involved fatalities, but these states face challenges in conducting the campaigns and achieving desired results. From 1997 to 2006, safety belt use increased in all seven of the selected states, and each state experienced a decrease in the alcohol fatality rate. Officials in the selected states said that the campaigns provide additional benefits, such as apprehending suspects involved in other crimes. However, officials in those selected states identified several challenges, such as increasing safety belt use and reducing impaired driving among resistant populations; insufficient staff to conduct the campaigns; and weak prosecution of impaired-driving arrests. NHTSA has initiatives under way to help states address some of these challenges. For example, NHTSA has sponsored a campaign to increase safety belt use in rural areas. In addition, NHTSA provides funds that can be used by states to purchase equipment for local law enforcement agencies, such as breath-testing units, to encourage the agencies to participate in campaigns.