| The alarming figures with regard to the number | | | | that 500 people die every week and 71 people die |
| of deaths caused by car accidents that involve | | | | everyday in alcohol related car accidents.In |
| alcohol have prompted state governments and | | | | addition to these figures, estimates show that the |
| the Federal Government to take critical steps to | | | | economic and societal cost of alcohol related car |
| prevent fatalities. One of these steps is to lower | | | | accidents are very high. Alcohol impaired drivers |
| the allowable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) | | | | cost American taxpayers about 21 to 24 billion |
| from 100 mg/dl to 80 mg/dl. However, such | | | | dollars a year. Other studies show a much higher |
| measures have proven to be inadequate as more | | | | figure of $136 billion dollars is spent on alcohol |
| recent figures show a dramatic increase in deaths | | | | related accidents. This is in addition to the huge |
| caused by car accidents involving alcohol. More | | | | insurance costs of alcohol related accidents and |
| stringent laws have to be enacted to prevent | | | | the injury, destruction and death that come with |
| these accidents, which may include imposing | | | | them.State and Federal Governments have |
| stiffer penalties for DUI or driving under the | | | | lowered the allowable BAC that is aimed at |
| influence cases.Recent figures show that instead | | | | lowering the number of deaths caused by drunk |
| of the expected decrease in the number of | | | | driving. However, recent figures show that there |
| alcohol related deaths as a result of imposing a | | | | has been a dramatic increase in the number of |
| lower BAC, quite the opposite has occurred. In | | | | deaths caused by drunk driving. Given this, there |
| the last ten years, around 250,000 people died in | | | | may be a need for more stringent interventions, |
| alcohol related car accidents in the United States. | | | | such as imposing stiffer penalties for DUI cases. |
| Figures show that 16,000 people were killed in the | | | | This has the potential of effectively preventing |
| year 2000, due to alcohol related accidents. In | | | | more deaths caused by alcohol related car |
| 2004, that figured climbed to 25,000. This means | | | | accidents. |