The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that U.S. drivers drink and drive about 112 million times a year, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. It is estimated that one in three people will drive drunk at least once in their lifetime. These are some worrying statistics when you consider that just one time is all it takes to have the worst accident of your life, altering it forever and potentially ending yours or someone else’s. The problem is it is not just as simple as telling people “don’t drink and drive.” Rather, there are a lot of underlying problems in our society that are helping to create this one bigger one. Let’s examine the subject further by taking a look at some of them.

Underage Drinking

When you consider how many car accidents are attributed to teenage drivers, it is all the more worrying when you add alcohol to the mix. Of course, alcohol is illegal for those under the age of 21, but as anyone who has ever been around a high school or college party or even been a teenager themselves (so, everyone) knows, the law doesn’t really stop many teenagers from drinking. The CDC backs this up with some statistics about underage drinking, such as the fact that 39 percent of the high school students that were surveyed admitted to drinking, eight percent drove drunk, and 24 percent admitted to riding with a driver who had been drinking.

Binge Drinking

Furthermore, binge drinking is another huge problem. In that same survey, about a fifth of the high school students who were questioned also said that they had binge drunk. Binge drinking is not limited to underage drinkers, although it is more common in younger people. However, the main problem with it is that often people who binge drink underestimate the amount of alcohol that they will be consuming, and as a result they are unprepared with another means to get home.

Celebrities

We as a society are sort of developing a habit of blaming celebrities for all of our problems, and obviously they are usually just examples of a greater problem existent in our society. However, it has to be said that nothing harms the cause against drunk driving like seeing certain celebrities (looking at you Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Reese WItherspoon and husband) get caught drinking and driving and seeing nothing more than a slap on the wrist. And more often than not, they are out doing the same thing in a few months’ time. And these are the people that young America looks up to?

Weak Penalties

This leads us nicely to the next problem which is  the types of penalties that are given for driving under the influence. It is not just celebrities who are being let off easily; it is everyone. When the penalty for drunk driving is little more than the penalty for speeding, there is not much added incentive to lay off the booze before getting behind the wheel. Why is it that we wait until someone has died before the real penalties kick into effect?

Buzzed Driving

Many people think that they are ok to drive after a drink, as long as they are still under the legal Blood Alcohol Content limit, but in actual fact one drink is enough to impair your driving abilities. We as a society need to realize that there should be zero tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving and make sure that it is not happening at all.

John Thatcher is a freelance writer for DefensiveDriving.com

What often comes as an after-shock to the convicted drunk driver is the astronomical cost of their huge mistake.  The penalties associated with DWI have steady increased as society sends the message that DWI is a crime, not an accident.

First, on top of the financial costs, is the inconvenience of lost driving privileges. If you rely on your car to get to work, that problem can complicate your job situation. If the drunk driver has children or family members that depend on their ability to drive, they will be affected as well. Then you have to deal with your insurance company, which will undoubtedly raise your premiums or may even cancel your policy. All of these expenses the drunk driver even sets foot in a courtroom.

The legal fees for attorneys will set you back. This expense is one that most can’t afford to avoid if they want to minimize the penalties and permit them to restore their driving privileges as soon as possible. A hefty fine will certainly be coupled with any penalty that would include probation and even jail time.

Further loss of income can be factored in by the fact that certain jobs in transportation will no longer be available to those convicted of DWI. So the short and long term financial effects can be devastating to the drunk driver. With such stiff penalties to someone’s wallet or pocketbook, there should be more effort to publicize them as a deterrent effect to further discourage people from making such a destructive choice.

You can view a breakdown of the factors resulting in becoming impaired, the financial penalties associated with drunk driving, the adverse effect on one’s ability to find employment, the different levels of impairment for Blood Alcohol Content(BAC)  and helpful tips on how you can keep your friends from getting DWIs. Click on this link:

http://attorneybrianwhite.com/dwi-dui-costs/ .

Doris Aiken, President/ Founder

Remove Intoxicated Driver, Inc

The Value of Victim Impact Panels

By John Thatcher

Debora Auman was in a tragic period of her life. Her parents had recently died, she was the victim of a rape and she had just broken up with her domestic partner. As a result, she had started drinking more heavily and on June 7, 2012, was driving drunk when she struck and killed a pedestrian, Alvin Wilson, as he was walking to work. The accident was a tragedy with Wilson’s body discovered 74 feet away from the impact, who died from injuries on the highway.

An attorney on the case estimated that Auman’s blood alcohol content at the time of the collision was .11, as her alcohol content more than two hours later was .08, the legal limit in Virginia.

Auman was sentenced to one year of home electronic monitoring and her drivers license was revoked. She was credited for the 21/2 months she had spent in jail waiting for the sentencing, and is allowed to work, a very lenient sentence given that the victim had been killed. In defending his position, the judge said multiple factors influenced his sentence including Auman’s work record, lack of criminal history and her multiple sclerosis which would cost taxpayers $60,000 per year to pay for her medication.

Auman showed total remorse for her actions, saying that what she did tortures her everyday, and she apologized to the family of the victim before her sentencing. The victim’s family was touched by Auman’s tale of her own tragedy, and the story surely influenced the judge’s sentencing.

So if the story was so powerful, why was participation in a victim impact panel not included in Auman’s sentence? Auman would have been able to have a powerful impact on other DUI offenders who perhaps didn’t understand the seriousness of their offense because there had been no victim in their case.

Victim Impact Panels were created by Mothers Against Drunk Driving as an educational tool for convicted alcohol offenders to consider the pain and suffering drunk driving can cause to others. In this case, Auman’s story would also show the suffering and heartache a DUI can cause to the offender themselves. The goal of the panel is to also help break down a denial of a problem with alcoholism, create a lasting impression that offenders will remember before getting in the car again and hopefully to change behavior and save lives.

Not all offenders who participate in these panels are affected, but for some it is an emotional wakeup call that they never forget.

For victims, these panels also provide the chance to tell their story and get involved in the justice system. Many victims and victim’s families are also looking for a way to prevent other tragedies from happening, and these panels allow them to have a positive impact on offender’s through their message.

Linda Ekpe’s son, Daniel Ekpe, was killed by a drunk driver in New York. At a panel she said that it had been eight years since her son had been killed, and she still feels pain but hopes one day to share her story without shedding tears.

Just like defensive driving isn’t a cure-all for reckless drivers, neither are victim impact panels, but they can have a powerful effect for those offenders who are ready to listen and can hopefully help them to get started on the right track.

John Thatcher is a freelance writer for defensivedriving.com

7 Ways to Get the Keys from Someone Who’s Intoxicated

Most people know that they shouldn’t drink and drive. Unfortunately, when it comes to alcohol, one of the first things to go is a person’s ability to make rational judgements. So, that very same person who “would never drink and drive,” might later kick back a few shots, and then refuse to give up his keys. Often times, an intoxicated individual won’t even think that they’re drunk. Other’s might have only had a little bit of alcohol, believing that a subtle “buzz” won’t have any negative effect on their driving. However, a drunk person is the last person in the world who is qualified to make this decision. So, if you’re out with a friend who’s been hitting the sauce, it’s up to you to make sure that he doesn’t  turn his vehicle into a randomly targeted kinetic energy weapon. Here are some ways to keep an intoxicated person out from behind the wheel.

1. Ask beforehand

If you know that your friend is going to be drinking, ask him for his keys while he is still sober. A sober person is probably going to be more rational, and will have less of a problem giving up his keys.

2. Be non aggressive

You know that voice people use when they’re trying to talk to a potentially dangerous dog? It’s the one that is very calm and soothing, almost a whisper. It’s the voice that says “I’m no threat to you; let’s be pals.” Well, it’s also a voice that might work if you’re asking for someone’s keys.

3. Take them aside

Intoxicated people often have very fragile egos. So instead of kicking back the barstool and shouting at your friend to give you his keys, be a bit more subtle. Pull him aside, and speak in hushed tones. In many circumstances, a person might know that he shouldn’t be driving, but won’t want to appear weak in front of others. Your friend might even thank you for bringing it up and allowing him to save face.

4. Get some assistance

If you don’t know the person as well, ask some of his sober acquaintances to talk him into giving up the keys. The suggestion will be easier to take coming from friends.

5. Play the thief

If you know that the drinker’s keys are in a purse, jacket pocket, or just sitting on a counter, then take them. Just wait until the drinker is preoccupied, and then quietly pocket the keys. Don’t make a big show of it to the others in the bar, as someone else might blow your cover. Your friend will probably get frustrated while searching for the lost keys, but in the end, he’ll have to come up with some other way to get home. You can return the keys (anonymously, if necessary) once your friend has sobered up.

6. Get physical

If you can’t talk or steal away the keys, then your next best hope lies in brute strength. If you can easily overpower your friend, then do so and take the keys away. If you need help, then enlist the aid of others. Don’t try to hurt him; just restrain him and make sure that he isn’t able to to leave with his keys. Be careful, however, because intoxicated people have been known to fight like cornered animals.

7. Call the police

What’s more important, your friend’s feelings or his life? What about the lives of others on the road? If you call the police and tell them that you think your friend might be considering driving home intoxicated, they’ll do whatever they can to prevent that from happening. The police are more interested in preventing tragedy than they are in making an arrest, and they will probably have an easier time persuading your friend to give up his keys than you will. If, however, your friend is already on the road, the police may be forced to bring him in. Yes, it’s a bad situation; a DUI is expensive and may result in jail time or other corrective measures. However, it’s better than letting your friend cause an accident. Even if he never speaks to you again, you will still have done him a favor.

You call contact AT&T’s national program to anonymously report the location of a drunk driver by calling 1 800 CURB DWI (800 287-2394)

Sladen West is a freelance writer for defensivedriving.com, the leading online defensive driving course