County survey aims to find out why people drink, drive

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County has launched a survey to attempt to find out why people drink and drive.

Police data show Salt Lake County has a higher number of alcohol-related motor crashes than other areas of the state with 1,115 crashes in 2008. The top cities for DUIs are Salt Lake City, West Valley City and South Salt Lake, according to Gary Mower, research analyst for Utah Department of Public Safety.

County officials plan to use the survey results to create a DUI prevention campaign.

Postcards encouraging survey participation are being placed in liquor stores, bars and clubs across the county. Survey results will be released this fall.

Interested members of the public can go to www.slcpreventioncoalition.org to take the survey before Aug. 15.

The anonymous survey asks about the participant's attitude toward drunken drivers, how they judge their ability to drive after drinking, how they get home safely, where they drink and how often.

Participants can also enter to win an iPad, various gift cards and other prizes.

The county's police data on DUIs aren't surprising since Salt Lake City is "the heart of the state" where the highest population is, along with businesses and tourist attractions, said Noreen Heid.

Heid is chairwoman of the strategic prevention task force on alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, which is a subcommittee of the Salt Lake City Mayors Coalition on Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs.

The idea for a survey was the result of many conversations with people — all who say they have driven under the influence at least once for various reasons, including simply poor planning or bad judgment, said Tina Ritter, grants coordinator for the county's Behavioral Health Services, which is working in conjunction with the task force.

"We want to get a feeling for why that happens and how people can plan ahead so it doesn't happen," Ritter said.

Cities that have developed task forces to look at DUI issues, and may use the survey results, include West Valley City, South Salt Lake, Murray, and Salt Lake neighborhoods Glendale and Rose Park.

The survey is funded through a $1.5 million federal grant called Strategic Prevention Framework and it will be paid out over three years. The county was awarded the grant and the University of Utah's College of Health was subcontracted to oversee it.

"The data will be very meaningful. Drunk driving is a public health concern for Utah," said project administrator Darrin Cottle, who is also on West Valley City's coalition.

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