Drinking While Driving: A Looming Safety Problem In The Us

A government data showed that traffic accidents are the leading cause of preventable

deaths in the US, killing more than 37,000 people in 2008 alone.Out of this number, one-third of the victims were involved in alcohol-related car accidents.

Using this data, safety experts estimated that drunk driving (also called as DUI) kills at least 36 people and injures 700 others every day.

In a separate study, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 3 out of 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related accident in their lifetime.

With this finding, many states adopt a stricter law for DUI offenses and implement several methods to get drunk drivers off the road.

Raising the legal age of drinking

According to a research group, crashes involving drunk drivers declined by 16 percent after the federal government raised the legal drinking age to 21.However, 19 states could only charge minors for possessing an alcoholic beverage, but not underage drinkers.

Sobriety checkpoints

According to a study, alcohol-related crashes decreased by 22 percent after the federal government increased the number of sobriety checkpoints especially near places where there are nightclubs and bars.

BAC laws

Most states follow the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit of 0.08 percent.This law is based on a study that blood alcohol content of more than 0.08 can drastically reduce the response and focus of drivers.

Zero tolerance law

A person who is under DUI probation is prohibited to drive with a BAC level of 0.01 percent and higher.According to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), anyone who will violate his DUI probation will have his drivers license suspended for up to three years.

Those drivers who will continue to violate their DUI probation will also be required to install an ignition interlock device in their cars.This device, which can detect the BAC level of a drivers breath, will not start the car if it detects that the person is not fit to drive.

The Zero tolerance law is also applicable to drivers aged 21 years and younger. According to a government study, alcohol-related fatalities among drivers aged between 18 and 19 declined by 24 percent after this law was passed.

Apart from these state-level methods and federal laws that aim to get drunk drivers off the road, some safety groups are proposing a bill that will require restaurant owners to stop serving alcoholic beverages to their customers who are already drunk.

However, many business establishments said the proposal is unnecessary since not all their customers are drivers.

Meanwhile, many experts believe that the best tool for dealing with underage drunk driving is parental support and guidance. According to psychologists, the actions of parents are considered norms by their children.In this essence, a father who drinks and drives will make his children think that such reckless act is acceptable.

by:Nemilou Despuez

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