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