Drunk Driving and You

Drunk Driving and You

ok around at the other drivers the next time you are stopped in heavy traffic. Does everyone look and act sober? Well, maybe not. The Department of Transportation estimates one out of four drivers may be alcohol impaired. Drunk driving endangers you and your family according to DOT drunk driving statistics.

Most of us are responsible adults who enjoy moderate drinking and would never attempt to drive while intoxicated. Unfortunately, we are far outnumbered by the estimated 15 million problem drinkers who contribute to an annual estimated 100,000 accidents related to drunk driving.

Sadly, too many of these alcohol related crashes and deaths are attributed to the 5.4 million adolescents who are disproportionately involved in alcohol related crashes, the leading cause of death for 15 to 25 year old Americans.

While you are still stuck in that traffic jam, count out nine other persons near you. Now consider another drunk driving statistic: three out of those nine, including you, will be in an alcohol related crash at some time in your life.

It may be hard to count out another 46 people near you who are also waiting for traffic to clear. But try. Hard to find that many people in the vehicles next to you, isn’t it? Yet 46 people die daily in alcohol fueled crashes. According to the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, these violent and unnecessary deaths occur about every 33 minutes.

The more a person drinks, the higher their blood alcohol level becomes. This simple math makes it easy to understand why the risk of being killed by a drunk driver increases with their blood alcohol level. Of course, as a person’s blood alcohol level increases, that person’s reactions, judgment and vision drastically decrease.

Many states have laws making .08 BAC the limit for determining if a driver is intoxicated. A person with a blood alcohol level of .08 is 11.3 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a person with a blood alcohol level of .02. A responsible person can consume just a few drinks and easily raise their blood alcohol level just enough to drastically multiply their chances to cause a fatal crash.

Please remember deaths caused by drinking and driving are not misfortunate or unavoidable. This is a violent crime and carries severe legal penalties. These laws apply to everyone who commits the crimes of driving while impaired (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) – From the chronic, long-term alcohol abuser to the normally responsible, considerate person who just once had one too many drinks.

Please don’t become another drunk driving statistic. Learn to use every resource available, beginning with a coin operated breath analyzer to help you immediately decide if you are can manage the math needed to drive safely.

Think you can handle it?  Look at these effects of alcohol over time.