BACKGROUND 

The traffic safety community has worked for decades to put a taboo on substance-impaired driving. While there remains a great deal of work to be done, progress has been made in mitigating the substance-impaired driving problem. For example, in recent years there has been evidence of an increase in the number of individuals who drive to the end of a transit or commuter rail line, take transit or commuter rail into the city where they become substance impaired, and then return using transit or commuter rail. However, the last leg of the journey to arrive home often requires driving, thus exposing substance-impaired drivers and other road users to motor vehicle crashes. 

This scenario is especially challenging in suburban and rural areas that have limited alternatives to driving the last leg of the journey. In addition to transit and commuter rail stations, substance-impaired drivers may face similar challenges traveling the last few miles home from park-and-ride lots and airports. While progress has been made in reducing the overall number of impaired miles traveled, addressing safety concerns associated with the last leg of the journey remains a significant highway safety challenge. Research is needed to help state highway safety offices (SHSOs) and other stakeholders develop strategies to address this challenge. 

OBJECTIVE 

The objective of this research is to develop a toolkit of practical strategies to help SHSOs and other stakeholders address challenges associated with substance-impaired drivers traveling the last leg of the journey. 

RESEARCH PLAN 

The research plan should build in appropriate checkpoints with the BTSCRP project panel including, at a minimum, (1) a kick-off teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date and (2) at least one in-person interim deliverable review meeting. An annotated outline for the toolkit shall be included with the interim report.

At a minimum, the research shall: 

• Develop an improved understanding of the magnitude and scope of the substance-impaired driving problem along the last leg of the journey, in multimodal environments (e.g., prevalence of substance-impaired drivers exiting transit and commuter rail stations and then driving home). Substance-impaired micromobility users (e.g., e-scooters) may be considered as part of the scope of the problem. 

• Explore practical opportunities to potentially change driver behavior related to the last leg of the journey. 

• Develop a toolkit of practical strategies to help SHSOs and other stakeholders address challenges associated with substance-impaired drivers traveling the last leg of the journey. 

• Develop outreach materials to support stakeholders’ understanding and use of the research findings. 

The final deliverables shall include: 

• A toolkit. 

• A final research report that documents the entire research effort and findings. 

• Outreach materials to support stakeholders’ understanding and use of the research findings.

•  Prioritized recommendations for future research. 

• A PowerPoint presentation with presenter’s notes summarizing the research findings. 

• A stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”. 

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.