Promote or Improve Local Laws

Changing individual behavior is most easily achieved through the implementation and routine enforcement of proven policies and laws.  Start by determining your local laws with regards to the prevention of drunk driving.  Are the laws known and are they enforced consistently and appropriately?  Before pursuing new laws, students, community members, campus administration can all work to support police in their enforcement of current laws.  When working to create new laws and policies, it is always more effective to work with others, through coalitions and committees. 

Students, Faculty-Staff, Law Enforcement

• Contact your local MADD affiliate to determine what assistance they can provide in your efforts.
• Find out the specific alcohol-related laws in your community and state.
• Go through the laws to determine if they are consistently enforced. 
  
• If they are not being enforced, work with Law Enforcement to overcome barriers to enforcement.
• Find out if there are local coalitions or committees already addressing alcohol-related issues.  If so, contact them to get involved with what is already happening.  If not, consider forming a campus and community partnership to work on the issues.
  
• Consider the following laws to determine if they can address the problems in your community
• Research to determine background factors that might prevent existing laws and policies from being enforced? Who might be other community “influencers” that you should meet with? (city council, local businesses, Chamber of Commerce)
  
• Do research to determine what background support might be helpful in presenting new policies (eg. other coalitions that have implemented laws and policies with success)