Young people, alcohol and driving: the balance of the Local Police of Sassari in the Project “On the Road”

Six months of intense activity, between meeting places for young people and schools. 5 thousand young people involved, from 14 years old and up. Six months in which the local police, in collaboration with important institutions and local entities, has carried out the “On the road” project to combat road accidents related to alcohol and drug use, especially among young people. A long and complex path, supported by a study – unique at a national level – on the perception of young people regarding the use of alcohol and drugs, especially before driving.

All the details of the project, made possible thanks to ministerial funding obtained by the Command of via Carlo Felice, were presented this morning, in the Langiu room, by the mayor Giuseppe Mascia, by the commander Gianni Serra, by the professor of Political Science at the University of Sassari Marco Calaresu, by Claudia Spanu for the Gaia Scienza cooperative who took care of the operational part of the project with the Command agents and by a representative of the communication expert company Pubblicitas who took care of the contents released in these months.

Between June and October, in the evening hours and in the places where young people most often meet, a street team with educators and expert agents (little more than the same age as the customers they interact with) interacted with girls and boys, using appropriate language, videos (then posted on channels with that audience like TikTok), visors that when worn simulate a state of psycho-physical alteration, and gadgets. 28 activities were carried out, between Piazza Tola, Piazza d'Italia, Piazza Castello, Platamona, Via Roma, Via Asproni, Piazza Azuni, Ottava and near discos and other places frequented by the target audience interested in the project. From October to December the path continued with meetings in high schools, and with new activities in the city squares and in nightlife spots.

In the meantime, in those six months, the local police have strengthened controls to combat driving under the influence of psycho-physical alterations and road accidents involving young drivers were monitored. The data collected revealed that between June and December - compared to the same period in 2023 - there was a decrease in both accidents and the number of young people found driving under the influence of psycho-physical factors. The Local Police Command also involved the University of Sassari, Department of Law, with the professor of Political Science Marco Calaresu as a partner in the project which produced an unprecedented technical-scientific report at a local level, developed according to a rigorous scientific methodology.

Nearly 700 young people aged between 18 and 25 were asked to answer 33 questions to understand their opinions and experiences with regard to alcohol and drug-related accidents. Among the questions, some focused on the perception of risks associated with driving after taking alcohol and drugs, others on the cultural and symbolic meanings associated with substance use and awareness of health risks. It has emerged that young people are aware of the risks of driving after consuming alcohol or drugs (62,2% consider driving under the influence of drugs to be extremely risky; 49,8% consider driving under the influence of alcohol).

In general, there is a clear disapproval towards the idea of ​​driving after having consumed alcohol/substances. However, the percentage of young people who reported having driven after drinking alcohol or taking drugs increases with age.: between 18 and 19 years old we are talking about 17,5 percent of the interviewees that become 48,9 percent between 24 and 25 years old. Another relevant data concerns the association between the years of possession of the license and driving under the influence of alcohol or substances: 12,9 percent are those who have had the license for less than 1 year up to 62,8 percent for those who have had the license for 5-7 years.

The responses regarding communication and awareness campaigns on the topic are also interesting: it is clear that these must adapt to the target, which asks for greater concentration on social channels and meetings in schools.. Data that demonstrates that the path undertaken in recent months by the Local Police with partners is the right one. In particular, the installation of the mobile station has allowed us to "familiarize" ourselves with the pre-tests for detecting the quantity of alcohol present in the blood, thus breaking the merely coercive or punitive conception of its use.

A choice that has allowed us to further strengthen the concept of prevention. Another effective tool was the visors that, by creating short routes to take, simulated the state of intoxication. Offered to young people to "test themselves", experiencing the effects of alcohol use and abuse on the body, it made them become truly aware of what the objective risks can be. Active participation has created an environment of trust and openness towards law enforcement.