Essay 4: Drink and Driving

Drinking and Driving

What can be done to prevent the many tragic results of drinking and driving?

One would not consider that by stepping into an automobile that they may either be in danger from a person driving under the influence or alcohol or that they themselves are at risk by drunk driving. Today our primary source of transportation is the automobile which takes us from one place to another. It is rather safe to drive, but if a person drives under the influence the result could be detrimental. According to the U.S. Transportation Department in 2006, there are 13,470 fatalities in crashes involving at least one driver who had a .08 or above BAC. To many, alcohol drinking is an activity done for social interaction and relaxation. Drinking alcohol itself is not dangerous, but the after effect of a drunk driver putting behind the wheel is. According to Hingston, ScD, a professor and chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department , “Alcohol at even an amount as low as 0.02 percent blood alcohol is dangerous because it can impair the drivers performance by reducing reaction time and slowing the decision making process”(219). That means a small amount of alcohol can affect one’s ability and mind. Once people realize this information then it will help reduce the number of people killed each year. Education amongst people on this issue is very important, therefore an organization such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is constantly educating the public and pushing for new initiatives to crack down on drunk driving. Stricter laws I believe should be enforced to help this problem. Whatever it takes to save lives is what the opposition should consider when counter arguing or going against the new implementation or laws that are made. In my research I will discuss about the impacts of alcohol and the outcome of drinking and driving and giving situations where it has ended deadly. I will discuss about the organization that are helping to fight against drunk driving and the legislations or laws that have come about. I will provide information as to what I believe will help to lessen the results of drinking and driving. I will also provide my data that I have gathered to confirm or disconfirm my thoughts about people’s ideas on drinking and driving and what solutions should be done.
People who drink and drive cause many deaths in society. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data showing there were 13,470 deaths in 2006 involving drivers and motorcycle operators with blood alcohol levels of .08 or higher, which is the legal limit for adults throughout the country. The number was down slightly from 2005, when 13,582 people died in crashes.” These numbers are simply just numbers to some that are not moved by the tragic deaths that alcohol and driving have caused. But to others they have a deep sympathy for those dealing with pain of losing a loved one due to drunk driving. These people are aware of the deadly after math of drinking and driving and has a sense of what is going on in society. Browsing through web pages after the next, I find that there are many sad stories that occur due to drunk driving. All of which involves either a death or injury of those we love. Some stories involve love ones trying to deal with their love ones death or those trying to forgive the person responsible for their loss. All of these stories, I believe can be helped or avoided if people are more aware of this weapon of destruction, alcohol and driving. People should be educated more about alcohol and driving. All ages should be educated so that as time progress they are prone to thinking that driving and alcohol do not mix.
MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving is an organization developed in 1980 due to a mother’s grieving determination over her teenage daughter who died from a hit and run drunk driver that “sparked a volunteer movement that swept the nation and saved thousands of lives.” They did not just say drunk driving killed thousands, but instead they held up pictures to prove it. “The mission of MADD today is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime, and prevent underage drinking”. (MADD) One of MADD’s solutions to drunk driving is education amongst people. People of all ages need to know more about the effects of drinking and driving. In a 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health of 67,500 conducted by Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Applied Studies, “Young adults aged 18-22 enrolled full time in college were more likely than their peers not enrolled full time to use alcohol in the past month, binge drink, and drink heavily. Past month alcohol use was reported by 66.4 percent of full time college students compared with 54.1 percent of persons aged 18 to 22 who were not enrolled full time”. This shows that young adults need to be educated about alcohol since they are placed in situations where drinking and driving is the norm. MADD is an organization that has ongoing focus on education, laws, and research. MADD has programs that educate the public whether it be through community outreach or towards schools. For example, MADD has a program called “Think”, which is a year round campaign to help high school students avoid underage drinking. Think campaign uses peer participation, creative party ideas, and lots of materials and support. Usually it is possible for less than a $1 per student. This price is inexpensive compared to the fines if charged with a DUI. Students organize the campaign, lead the pledge drive and put on other events to encourage friends to party safe and sober year round. This is only one of the many education that MADD offers. They also have assembly programs designed for elementary and highschools. It costs $675 for one show, but schools are able to try to get grants, sponsorships, or fundraising. For such a little amount, but it can save thousands of lives. These shows are designed to give students a powerful message about the dangers of underage drinking through celebrity interview, clips, and stories of real young people.
Not only should people educated about the deadly effects alcohol can cause, but they should be educated on how costly getting a DUI can cause. Not only does DUI can cause emotional upsets if death or injury occurs, it can also be costly towards peoples’ pockets. Different states have different penalties for a DUI conviction; therefore I will only focus on Arizona. The penalties in Arizona depend on the type of DUI that was charged and the defendant’s criminal record. Each individual’s case might be different. According to Jaffe Law Firm, Arizona DUI Defense website, the penalties for first offense impaired to a BAC above .08 are: Jail time of a range of 10 to 180 days . Minimum of 10 days of which 9 can be suspended it you agree on an alcohol and drug evaluation and treatment. Fines involve are approximately $1800, plus jail costs. License suspension of 90 days. Counseling which involves a substance abuse evaluation and compliance with recommendations. Five years of probation. Community service may be involved depending on the court. May be ordered to attend a session of MADD victims’ impact panel. Ignition Interlock Device required for 12 month. A range of 90 to 180 days in jail. Minimum of 90 consecutive days in jail. The court may suspend 60 of the 90 days in jail if you successfully complete all recommended treatment and counseling. For 2nd offense of BAC above .08 the penalties are: Fines of $3500 and jail costs. Revoked license for one year. Counseling for substance abuse evaluation. May be on probation of five years. Minimum of 30 hours of community service. May be ordered to attend MADD Victims’ impact panel. Ignition interlock device required for 12 months after license reinstatement. As for other extreme first and second offenders the sentencing would be increased. Getting charged for any type of DUI is rather time consuming and costly. Even though there are these costs whether it be emotional or monetary, some are not aware of such aftermath for just having one drink too many. To further research how people perceive of drinking and driving I conducted a small survey.
For my research I wanted to find out how people feel about drinking and driving. Therefore, did a survey of ten questions to see what are peoples’ thoughts on this issue. The questions in the survey are as followed:
1. Do you approve of having sobriety checkpoints whenever and wherever?
2. Should first time offenders for DUI be given stricter punishment?
3. Should there be more states having mandatory breath alcohol ignition interlocks installed in car for 1st time offender?
4. Have you ever drink and drive? How many times? How intoxicated?
5. Were you or anyone you know been involved in an accident caused by drunk driving?
6. Do you agree that drunk drivers have caused many deaths in the past years?
7. Do you agree that by enforcing more laws that it can reduce the number of deaths?
8. Do you agree that there should be more educators out there educating the effect of drinking and driving?
9. Do you agree that the message of drinking and driving has not been clearly delivered to the public?
10. Do you agree that a life is very precious?

I was able to have thirty surveys done. They are amongst health professionals, friends, business professionals, and so forth. Names were not requested so that the individuals’ answers will not be affected. After the surveys were collected and looked over I concluded that people like things to be done about drinking and driving. People are familiar with the deaths caused by drunk driving. Since they were professionals they were responsible drivers. Even so there were some that have said even though they knew of the consequences of drinking and driving, they still did it anyway. The majority of people that I interviewed would like more people being educated about the effects of drinking and driving. As discussed earlier there are organizations such as MADD that help educate people of all ages about the dangers of alcohol, as well as fighting for laws to aid in safety for people, and research for technology that can help combat against drivers driving drunk.
A measure that has not been out but I think will help with drinking and driving is that I think people who wish to get their drivers license take a weeklong course about the dangers of alcohol and driving. Thus course can be similar to those of MADD program assembly for school, the only difference is that it is an extended course with more information. I recall that in highschool we as students had drivers education and health education, but I do not think it is intense and deep enough to lay out the message. This course should be a requirement to have before taking the driving test. If later on an individual must need to take the drivers test again then they should also take the course again. Yes, it is rather a nuisance, but people need reminders.
For the sake of there being different laws in effect for drinking and driving, we will only talk about some of Arizona laws. Of the newest law that Arizona adapted is the ignition interlock law. Ignition interlocks prevent people who have alcohol in their system from driving a car. The alcohol ignition interlock is a breath test linked to a vehicle’s ignition system. There is a preset BAC linked to the system that the driver must not pass. “Installing interlocks on all repeat offenders has the potential to save the lives of at least 300 individuals per year.” (MADD) Typically the costs are $175 to install the device and $2.25 a day while interlock is in car. As of March of 2008, there are only five states with the interlock system. They are Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, Louisiana, and Illinois. Critics say interlock devices are expensive to maintain and provide a short-term answer to a long term proble. (Collom) It may be costly but it reduces the risk of drinking and driving and killing an innocent person. Who is to say that it is a short term. There is a possibility that the individual when lean from their mistake and not make the same wrong move again.
Another action or measure that I agree beside for education and ignition interlock are sobriety checkpoints. States should be able to have these checkpoints as reminders for people not to drink and drive. True, check points can sometimes be time consuming if there are long lines, but if it helps to capture DUI people then it is a good thing. Also sometimes people need those little reminders that alcohol can impair driving. Willard had said in his article, “The checkpoints serves as a visible warning not only to drivers who are drunk, but also to those who are sober but might contemplate driving in an impaired state on some other occasion.” (44) States should be allowed to have checkpoints wherefore they think is needed, especially on holidays where some forget about the responsibilities of a driver.
Education amongst individuals of all ages concerning drinking and driving is very important for a safe life. Community outreach and intervention would be helpful to those that have drive under the influence or will do so in the future. Education. Education. Education. Whether it a simple talk about alcohol or traffic accidents, every parent or friends and family should talk about it with their love ones. Hearing about it, being educated, can all lead to saving a life. Sometimes refresher or reminder of the deadly effects of alcohol can make a difference to one’s standpoint on alcohol and driving. I believe that along with more public education, more laws, devices, and research can all help decrease the number of fatalities involving alcohol. Even if it a burden to those who feel they don’t drink and drive that they shouldn’t be wasting their money or time with the for example sobriety checkpoints, still a life can be very precious. If you are not into the political battling of laws, you can be on the sidelines helping not drink and drive. Alcohol is a depressant so it slows down one’s ability to think, speak, move, and act. Therefore even a little of alcohol could affect your ability to drive. The next time you think of taking that last sip of alcohol before going behind the wheel, imagine the face of a little girl who has tears coming down her face due to the loss of her parents to drunk driving.