Essay 3: Annotated Bibiliography: Drinking and Driving

Annotated Bibliography: 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 driver driving under the influence or that they themselves are at risk by drunk driving. Today our primary source of transportation is the automobile. It takes us from one place to another. It is rather safe but if a driver 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 is not dangerous but it is when an individual puts themselves behind the wheel. Alcohol at even an amount as low as 0.02 percent blood alcohol is dangerous because it can impair the drivers ability by reducing reaction time and slowing the decision making process. Once people realize this information then it will help reduce the number of people killed each year. Education amongst people about 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 different organization that are helping to fight against drunk driving and the legislations or laws that have come about 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 provide argument on how the opposition believes that they are being restricted to things because the laws are getting stricter on drunk driving. I organized my sources in that is arranged first by arguments for my topic and lastly by opposition. It is not in any alphabetical order. I wanted to discuss about the prevention of drinking and driving because the source I have was very credible. Then it is followed by different measures to help people not drink and drive. For example tougher laws in effect. Then I went about with the physical reactions from alcohol. How many drinks does it take to feel drink. Then I gave reference to the fight against hard core drunk driving. Then I wanted for people to be aware of the politics involve so I discussed about MADD fight against drunk driving. I then further gave reference to the initiative used such as road blocks and car possession because I believe tougher matters should be used to fight against any kind of drunk driving whether it is light or highly dosed. I wanted the research to not to be biased so I added a counter argument. This counter argument simply states that it is not a matter of drunk driving but a matter of drinking and driving. To the opposition social drinkers are being punished by the roadblock and lower BAC levels not the hard core drinking.


Hingson, Ralph. “Prevention of Drinking and Driving.” Alcohol Health and Research Word. (Winter 1997-98): 219-26. SIRS Knowledge Source. Gateway Community College Lib. 4 April 2008.
<http://sks.sirs.com>

Dr. Hingson discusses major and legal community initiatives to reduce the problem of drinking and driving. He also examines potential measures for further reductions. He talks about how legistlative initiatives and lower blood alcohol limits have shown for decrease in alcohol related deaths. He believe that with further education, enforcement, and comprehensive community programs would help the decline of deaths related to alcohol.
This source is a good source in it that is obtained from an academic source. The author is credible in it that he is a respected in the community. He is a professor and chair of the Social and Behavior Sciences Department at Boston University School of Public Health. It is written a couple years back but the information given is great. With the given information he follows it with many references. This shows that he did his research before writing the article. His research was supported by the Massachusetts Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau. Article is taken from a scholarly journal which is Alcohol Health & Research World. This article is relevant to my research. Many points were addressed that I would like to use. Only thing is I have to provide other current statistics to help me with the research. He made many claims using the statistics from National Highway Traffic Safety which is good because it is from a reliable source.

Egendorf, Laura. “Reducing Drinking and Driving by Young Drivers.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. (2001) Gale. Gateway Community College Lib. 25 March 2008.
<http://findgalegroup.com/ovrc>.

This article talks about the zero-tolerance laws as explained in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It discusses how the law has reduced drinking and driving among younger drivers. It is a law that makes it illegal for a person under 21 of age to drive with a blood alcohol level greater than .02. Zero tolerance law is proven to save lives. Article gave examples and statistics to show that this law is a positive change for alcohol related situations.
There is no author to this publication. This information is offered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This is a reliable and well known source. Information although not current is a good place to start. The statistics are good. Need to find up to date about current states. The intended audience is everyday people who is against drunk driving. Gives information on further readings related to the subject matter. Sources are from scholarly journals and books.

Koch, Kathy. “Drunken Driving: Does America Need Tougher Laws?” 6 October 2000. 793-808. CQ Researcher. Gateway Community College Lib. 27 March 2008.
<http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher>.

In this article the author talks about how heavy drinkers, alcoholics and repeat offenders are responsible for most drunk driving. He stresses how we should have tougher laws to decrease the number of alcohol related deaths and injuries. Has a good chart of the United States showing the BAC Level being either .08 or .10%. States that some alcohol related incident are not recorded after the person is sent to hospital, therefore the statistics may be wrong about alcohol related incidents. Questions what can be done. Really good article stressing the pros and cons of have stricter solutions. Good amount of examples of people affect by drunk driving. Article also have a timeframe starting with the first start of alcohol concerns in the 1970’s to 2000. In short author wants there to be stricter laws. This is a good source because it has many cites and contact whether it is against or for drunk driving strict laws.
No information is provided in the article about the article. This article is found in CQ Researcher so it is a known and respected site to get good research information. Information stated is followed by statistics from good sources. Author gave arguments for and against the issue of drunk driving. Though he clearly supports laws against drunk driving he also gives the counter argument. Provides many contacts that would be good sources for reliable information, such as the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Author made cites to scholarly journal and known publications.

Winter, Bill. “States Get Tougher on Drunk Drivers.” American Bar Association Journal 68 (February 1972): 140. Academic Search Premiere. EBSCO. Gateway Community College Lib. 3 April 2008
<http://web.ebscohost.com >

Focuses on the state government to put effort to strengthen drunk driving laws in the United States. Gives motivation behind these moves in certain state and also talks about the penalties involve to those that violate. Also talks about the legal questions raised by these laws.
This article is from a scholarly journal called the American Bar Association. No information is given about the author. Information is not current because done back in 1970. Like information and thoughts in this article because it showed me how drinking and driving is like back in those days. For example California law provides a mandatory two to four day jail term plus a fine. I also learned that it was .10 percent blood alcohol level.

Kerr, William, et al. “How Many Drink Does It Take You To Feel Drunk? Trends and Predictors for Subjective Drunkenness.” Addiction 101 (October 2006): 1428-1437. Academic Search Premiere. EBSCO. Gateway Community College Lib. 3 April 2008.
<http://web.ebcohost.com >

This article is a research done by a couple of people to describe and model the different trends and variations of the meaning of drunkenness. It covers a period in 1979, 1995, and 2000. Research shows that there is a downward shift in the meaning of drunkenness. Could be due to education, aging population, and decline in per capita alcohol and changes in alcohol policies.
This research report is written by educated professionals. They are from the Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute and the School of Social Welfare in Berkeley. Berkeley is a highly respectable school so this source has credibility. Done back in 2006 so information is relatively current. Publishing body is from the Society for the Study of Addiction so the source is good for my purpose. Cited many sources that are legitimate, for example National Alcohol Surveys. Statistic show me that man can drink more than women which I know but need the research to back up. This research finding is a good start to find other researches maybe dealing with body weight and tolerances due to experiences.


Mejeur, Jeanne. “Way Too Drunk to Drive.” State Legistlatures. 31 (December 2005):18-20. SIRS Knowledge Source. Gateway Community College Lib. 4 April 2008.
<http://sks.sirs.com >

This article gives an overview of state efforts to fight the problem of drunk driving. It shows the enactment of “high BAC laws”. There is greater penalties for a high BAC offence. She also discusses about ignition interlocks required of repeat offenders. This requirement is good because stiffer things are done to repeat offenders. Ways to help repeat offenders is for them to take up classes to get educated about abuse. Author also tells about coalition to fight against hard core drunk driving. Good reference because it tells of cites to go to in order to find information on different states and laws in effect.Also gave for each state High BAC offense Laws.
Good source because it is from the State Legislatures. Author is NCSL’s expert on drunk driving laws. Uses pathos to get an appeal from an audience of sympathetic nature because starts off the article with tragic stories. Information is from 2005 so it is rather current. Author uses sources from other sources that I am getting information so these are very reliable information. For example, the sources used are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NCSL.


Murray, Mark. “Unbottling the .08 Percent Solution.” National Journal. 32 (November 2000): 3488. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gateway Community College Lib. 25 March 2008.
<http://find.galegroup.com >

This article talks about the politics that plays a role in laws to help with the drunk driving battle. “But the deep-pocketed restaurant, hotel, and liquor lobby made sure that the proposal didn’t get far in the House.” Still with persistence MADD was able to overcome this. “An examination of how they [MADD] pulled it off demonstrates that the difference between winning and losing on Capital Hill often comes down to personal influence, timing, and luck.” Author likes what MADD stand and fight for. Who wouldn’t if they don’t want innocent lives to be taken away from them for irresponsible people and their actions.
Information is not given by author. Article written back in 2000 so this is a few years back. Information is good because it discusses what organizations went through to fight for the cause of helping people fight against drunk driving, MAAD.

Haley, James. “All Drunk Driving Offenders Should Lose Their Cars.” Drunk Driving (2002) Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gateway Community College Lib. 25 March 2008.
<http://find.galegroup.com >

Author feels that drunk driving is a tragic social problem. Many lives and families are lost. “Every one of those deaths is preventable—but for years, despite extensive public education campaigns, the message hasn’t gotten across clearly enough.” To help with this, more education is done and initiatives are taking effect. “That’s why in February of 1999 the New York City Police Department launched an aggressive new initiative to confiscate the cars of those arrested for Driving While Intoxicated.” Author feels that this approach is working because statistics show that DWI fatalities has declined by 18 percent in New York City. Author feels that we should stop the first time offenders, as well as to catch the chronic drunk drivers. Saving lives is the priority.
Author makes relevant to the Washington Post which is a popular newspaper. Author cites further readings of books and periodicals to do research on drunk driving. Gave many statistics and how the laws that came effect in New York were beneficial to saving the lives of people. Author is very optimistic. I think his belief is good start for others to see too.

Willard, Richard. “Drunk Driving: Are Random Checkpoints Constitutional?” ABA Journal. 76 (1990) Academic Search Premier. Gateway Community College Lib. 3 April 2008.
<http://web.ebcoshost.com >

Article talks about the debate over the constitutionality of roadblocks in the United States for drunk driving. The author feels that these checkpoints are good. “Over the past 10 years, one quarter of a million Americans have lost their lives in alcohol related automobile crashes.” He feels the “checkpoint 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.
Another article to further my belief that increasing stricter forces would help against drunk driving. Checkpoints to be used are good because it makes people aware of the issue. Information is written in a scholarly journal so this is good. Although I am not familiar with any information about the author. I need to do more search to see its credibility.

Lankford, Ronnie. “Eliminating Drunk Driving Creates Repressive Laws.” Opposing Viewpoints Research Center. (2007)Gale. Gateway Community College Lib. 25 March 2008.
<http://findgalegroup.com/ovrc>.

This article talks about how MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) have changed its concern from drunk driving to drinking and driving. The author seems to praise MADD for its continual efforts to help, but he seems to dislike how MADD has venture off to even further depth on the topic. He feels that they are attacking social drinkers where they are not the ones to worry about. He disagrees with the stricter laws because they are of no benefit and reduce constitutional protections. This article has many statistics that are useful to me because it gives statistics how tragic accidents due to alcohol has decrease because of actions that were taken. He made note of different actions taken and how he may or may not agree with them because it is not a matter of drunk driving but purely drinking and driving.
Author is a columnist for Fox News and a former analyst for the Cato Institute. Fox News is a popular new station so his information and thoughts are well thought out. Cato Institute is seen in many of my research so he knows his information. Author provides further readings that will be good to look at. Article is a good way for me to come up with the counterarguments for my topic. For example, social drinkers being restricted because of the stricter laws. His argument is good, but I think stricter laws to save lives is more important than anything else.