Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America

WSWA Policy Statement to Promote "Smart National Alcohol Practices"

1. Media Supporting Enforcement:  Support public education campaigns educating the public on the dangers of DUI, underage access and the penalties associated with them.

2. Administrative License Revocation (ALR):  Support laws that provide for the prompt administrative suspension or revocation of a DUI offender’s drivers license for either failing or refusing a BAC test.

3. Graduated Penalties for Repeat Offenders:  Support increased penalties for offenders who violate DUI laws more than once.

4. Ignition Interlock:  A device that integrates a breath-alcohol test into a vehicle and requires a zero BAC for engine start. For repeat offenders (2+ offenses), and for first time offenders with a BAC over .15, but allowing for judicial discretion.

5. High BAC Penalties:  Support laws that provide for increased sanctions for DUI offenders with BAC levels above .15.

6. Increased Penalties for Driving While Suspended (DWS):  Support increased penalties for offenders who are caught driving on a license suspended as the result of a prior DUI conviction. 

7. Increased Penalties for People Who Cause Injuries:  Support laws that increase penalties on those who commit bodily injury or death while under the influence.

8. Mandatory Alcohol Screening:  Support mandatory assessment of DUI offenders prior to conviction or sentencing to determine the potential for alcohol dependency or abuse and to make the appropriate treatment referrals.

9. Comprehensive Drinking Age Laws: Support drinking age laws that prohibit the purchase, attempt to purchase or possession of alcohol, or the use of fraudulent identification by an individual under the age of 21; as well as the sale of alcohol or provision of alcohol to an individual under 21. Including increased penalties for parents who unlawfully provide alcohol to minors, and carriers who deliver alcohol to minors.

10. Designated Driver and Safe Ride Programs:  Support programs that promote the use of sober designated drivers and sober safe rides, and make sober safe rides available as an alternative to prevent impaired driving.

11. Fake IDs: Support increased penalties for those who use or manufacture fake IDs.

12. Law Enforcement Funding: Support state programs that track underage access.

13. Alcohol Education:  Support mandatory alcohol orientation for all college freshmen and mandatory alcohol education for college offenders.

14. AWOL Machines:  Support bans on AWOL machines.

15. Drunk Driving Hotlines:  Support hotlines that motorists can use to report drivers operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol.

"It's 21. Just Pass"

WSWA has teamed up with Discovery Education and the National Football League Players Association to engage high school students in an effort to underscore the risks and consequences of underage drinking.

Through this new collaborative program—"It's 21. Just Pass"—we are promoting this mission by sending curriculum kits to high school educators throughout the country. The kits include glossy posters featuring various NFL players, lesson plans and information that will direct teens to a co-branded WSWA/Discovery Education/NFLPA web site. The site showcases videos of players encouraging students to “just pass” on alcohol until they are of legal drinking age.
 
The central component of this effort is the “It’s 21. Just Pass” challenge, an online quiz that tests students’ knowledge while providing critical information about the laws and consequences of underage drinking. By partnering with NFLPA and Discovery Education, we’ve leveraged high-profile sports personalities and a very credible educational resource to help us develop an innovative campaign that can impact the audience we need to target—those who are facing peer pressure and are at great risk of engaging in illegal and dangerous behavior.

Visit "It's 21. Just Pass" for more information

DWI Courts Partnership

The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America has joined forces with the National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC), Beam Global Spirits and Wine and the American Beverage Licensees (ABL) to launch a national campaign aimed at establishing best practices for DWI Courts and determining national policy issues on drunk driving as it relates to DWI Courts.

Often referred to as Accountability Courts, DWI Courts are designed to treat high-risk drivers by holding them accountable for their actions in a judicially supervised rehabilitation program. In DWI Courts, the judge, prosecutor, defense lawyer, law enforcement officer, probation officer and treatment provider work together to develop the most effective treatment for the offender while ensuring the public’s safety on roads and highways.

For 65 years, WSWA has led an effort to promote socially responsible alcohol policy. By working hand in hand with the National Center for DWI Courts and the new National DWI Court Task Force, WSWA and its 330 members are in an influential position to make a major impact on the blight of impaired driving.

Ignition Interlocks
A Useful Tool for Combating Hardcore Drunk Drivers
 
While there have been significant decreases in the number of alcohol related crashes, fatalities and injuries in the last two decades, the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) remains steadfast in its commitment to fighting drunk driving. Part of the effort to deal with this serious issue must incorporate important new technology such as ignition interlocks. While not a silver bullet that will put an end to drunk driving, interlocks can be an important tool in a comprehensive anti-DUI strategy—but only if used correctly and targeted toward the “hard core drunk driver.”
 
What is an Ignition Interlock?
 
An ignition interlock is a device that is installed in a vehicle and renders the vehicle inoperable unless the driver first passes a breathalyzer test. The device can also be set to require the vehicle’s operator to blow into the tube periodically while driving to ensure the driver remains sober. To be effective, interlock devices must be properly calibrated and occasionally tested by a certified vendor. Companies are working to develop new technologies such as “passive” interlock devices which would test skin secretions through the steering wheel or other parts of the vehicle; however those devices remain in the developmental stage.
 
When Should Interlock Devices be Used?
              
WSWA supports state legislation that mandates that interlock devices be installed on the vehicle of any person convicted of a repeat DUI offense or any first time offender whose blood alcohol content (BAC) was over .15, in other words, the “hard core drunk driver.” This policy ensures that interlocks are mandated for those who pose the greatest threat to public safety. WSWA also believes that judges are in the best position to determine what threat other first time offenders pose and supports allowing judicial discretion in the case of first time offenders with a BAC under .15.
              
In 2008 WSWA worked with other industry partners and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to draft model legislation consistent with this position. ALEC formally adopted that legislation as a model bill at their summer meeting.

Click here to view WSWA's Ignition Interlock Model Bill.
 
Why Not All Offenders or All Vehicles?
              
Some organizations have been pushing to require interlock installation on the vehicles of all DUI offenders and even all vehicles. As previously mentioned interlock devices must be properly calibrated and maintained. Expanding the universe of devices by such a large degree would create serious logistical problems for state agencies trying to monitor and administer the program. Moreover, federal and state statistical information indicates that the most dangerous offenders, and those that are more likely to reoffend, are those classified as “hard core drunk drivers,” defined as those who have previously been convicted of drunk driving or have been apprehended with a very high BAC level.   In short precious law enforcement resources would be wasted on low risk drivers rather than being properly spent to keep our streets safe.
 
Do Interlocks Solve the Drunk Driving Problem?
              
Interlock devices cannot and will not single handedly solve the problem of drunk driving. However, when coupled with a comprehensive anti-DUI program they can play an important role. Such a program should include increased educational and rehabilitation resources for offenders, increased enforcement of DUI laws and continued education of the public on the dangers of drunk driving.
 
What Others Have to Say About Hard Core Drunk Drivers:
 
"There has been a growing realization during recent years that a major portion of the DWI problem is attributable to the hard core drinking driver."
—The National Highway Safety Administration
 
"The average driver involved in a fatal crash is at .16 BAC, about double the legal limit."
—Jeffrey Michael, Director of Impaired Driving & Occupant Protection Division, National Highway Safety Administration
 
“We must reach the core of the problem – abusive drinkers and repeat offenders. My suggestion is to seek out the truly dangerous drunk drivers. Saving lives on the highway means prosecuting the most dangerous drivers."
—Candy Lightner, Founder and Former President of MADD
 
Industry Supporters of WSWA’s Policy:
 
National Beer Wholesalers Association
Miller/Coors
Anheuser Busch
Bacardi
Diageo
DISCUS
The Century Council
Beam Global
Wine Institute
Wine America
American Beverage Licensees
Beer Institute
American Beverage Institute

We Don't Serve Teens

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) “We Don’t Serve Teens” initiative is a WSWA Board of Directors approved program designed to demonstrate wine and spirits wholesalers’ commitment to the responsible distribution of alcohol while at the same time highlighting the important role wholesalers play in the distribution of those products. WSWA works closely with DISCUS, the American Beverage Licensees and the FTC in order to make this campaign a success.
 
All of us can do something to prevent teen drinking. To learn more about the FTC’s “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign, visit dontserveteens.org.  

Training for Intervention ProcedureS (TIPS)

WSWA is committed to being a leader in social responsibility and strives to offer its members the best programs on alcohol safety that are available. In 2008, WSWA established a partnership with Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) to provide WSWA members with resources and tools that promote the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages through a nationally recognized education program called Training for Intervention ProcedureS (TIPS).
 
Through the TIPS “Train-the-Trainer” workshops, employees of WSWA member companies can become certified TIPS trainers who in turn are able to train retail staff on the proper techniques for serving alcohol safely, responsibly and well within the bounds of state and local laws. In addition to preventing the misuse of alcohol, TIPS will help establishments that serve or sell alcohol by reducing their exposure to alcohol liability lawsuits, lowering insurance premiums and improving overall customer service and satisfaction.
 
More than 3 million individuals have been certified through the TIPS program. For more information on the TIPS program, please visit their web site: www.gettips.com.