| An article entitled "Drunk Driving" was featured on | | | | As noteworthy as these anti-drunk driving laws |
| the "Insurance Information Institute" website in | | | | and campaigns have been, however, the fact |
| February of 2007. Pardon the pun, but the | | | | remains that only 34 fewer people died in |
| following three statistical facts that were | | | | alcohol-related accidents in 2005 than in 2004. |
| discussed in this article are quite "sobering." | | | | Obviously, other measures must be undertaken in |
| Alcohol-Related Fatalities | | | | order to significantly reduce the number of US |
| First, in spite of increasing the number of | | | | people who die in alcohol-related traffic accidents. |
| anti-drunk driving laws and campaigns, the number | | | | Additional Anti-Drunk Driving Initiatives |
| of people who died in alcohol-related accidents | | | | In response to the need for more ammunition in |
| went down by only .2% from 2004 to 2005 | | | | the "war" on alcohol-related traffic accidents, I |
| (16,919 in 2004 versus 16,885 in 2005). While | | | | propose two additional anti-drunk driving initiatives. |
| every life saved is important, this decrease, from | | | | First, those who are incarcerated due to |
| a statistical standpoint, however, was not | | | | alcohol-related offenses need to receive |
| significant. In other words, the fact that 34 fewer | | | | mandatory alcoholism treatment while they are in |
| people died in alcohol-related accidents in 2005 | | | | jail or in prison. True, other drivers are safer |
| than in 2004 could have happened totally by | | | | when the offending persons are "off the streets" |
| chance rather than because of stricter drunk | | | | and incarcerated. When the jail or prison sentence |
| driving laws or because of the influence of citizen | | | | is completed, however, the vast majority of |
| activist groups such as Mothers Against Drunk | | | | alcohol-related offenders will return to the "real |
| Drivers (MADD). | | | | world." Acknowledging this reality, I submit that |
| Repeat DUI Offenders | | | | alcohol-related offenders who have received |
| Second, even with the passing of stricter DUI | | | | alcoholism treatment while incarcerated are more |
| laws and consequences, over 50% of US drivers | | | | likely to become responsible people who refrain |
| arrested for drunk driving are repeat offenders. | | | | from drinking while driving and less likely to |
| This statistic is disturbing when viewed on its own | | | | become repeat DUI offenders once they return |
| merits. What has also become "newsworthy," | | | | to society. |
| however, is the number of repeat offenders who | | | | Second, significant and observable changes in our |
| have received an outrageous number of DUIs. | | | | attitudes about drinking alcohol need to take place |
| For instance in early 2006, an Ohio man who | | | | in our society. Due to the fact that drinking alcohol |
| received 12 DUIs within a ten-year period of time | | | | is so accessible, acceptable, and intimately |
| killed two Hiram college students in an | | | | ingrained in our society, however, it has been |
| alcohol-related accident. Not surprisingly, many | | | | extremely difficult for many individuals, especially |
| people in the local community were outraged with | | | | the youth, to truly understand the destructive, |
| the driver who accidentally killed the two college | | | | unhealthy, and fatal aspects of alcohol abuse and |
| students. | | | | alcoholism. This needs to change. |
| What was perhaps more revealing in this case, | | | | Our Enlightened and Aware Society |
| however, was the number of phone calls made to | | | | Our society has become more enlightened and |
| the radio talk shows by people asking who the | | | | more aware of the health hazards, fatalities, and |
| judges and prosecutors were and what the | | | | destructive consequences of alcohol abuse and |
| consequences were for this driver after he | | | | alcoholism. It is therefore time for us to balance |
| received his 3rd, his 8th, and his 11th DUIs. In | | | | the prevailing marketing "message" with a more |
| other words, people starting asking the "tough | | | | realistic and healthy perspective regarding alcohol |
| questions" regarding the accountability of those | | | | consumption. Stated differently, drinking alcohol |
| who received multiple DUIs as well as the | | | | needs to be less advertised, less glamorized, and |
| accountability of the judges and prosecutors who | | | | seen as less "cool" while the commercials, |
| were involved in the repeat offenders' legal | | | | advertisements, and public service messages that |
| proceedings. | | | | emphasize healthy, safe, and alcohol-free activities |
| Many Drivers with Suspended Licenses Still Drive | | | | and lifestyles need to be increased. |
| Third, 67% of US drivers with suspended licenses | | | | Conclusion |
| still drive. From a logical standpoint, many people | | | | Obviously, something besides our current |
| must be asking themselves how this is possible in | | | | anti-drunk driving laws and campaigns needs to be |
| an age of technological advancement that | | | | done in order to significantly decrease the |
| features capabilities such as "real-time" computer | | | | alcohol-related fatalities on our highways. I assert |
| access to driver registration information that is | | | | that mandatory alcoholism treatment for people |
| available to the law enforcement community. | | | | who are incarcerated for alcohol-related offenses |
| Drunk Driving Countermeasures | | | | and noticeable and significant changes in our |
| According to the authors of "Drunk Driving," a | | | | attitudes toward drinking alcohol are important |
| number of countermeasures have been | | | | factors that will help contribute to the significant |
| undertaken that have targeted alcohol-related | | | | reduction in the number of people in our society |
| fatalities on the US roads. For instance, existing | | | | who die in alcohol-related traffic accidents every |
| drunk driving laws have become stricter, new | | | | year. |
| laws have been passed, drunk driving task forces | | | | Copyright 2007 - Denny Soinski. All Rights |
| have been established by many states, and citizen | | | | Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may |
| activist groups such as MADD have influenced | | | | reprint this article as long as you leave all of the |
| some of the attitudes toward drinking and driving | | | | links active, do not edit the article in any way, and |
| in our society. | | | | give the author credit. |