| "Alcohol is a hypnotic sedative and nervous | | | | In 2004, 30 percent of all fatal crashes |
| system suppressive. Addiction to alcoholism | | | | during the week were alcohol-related, |
| has become a major social problem. Driving | | | | compared to 51 percent on weekends. For all |
| under influence of alcohol has become one of | | | | crashes, the alcohol involvement rate was 5 |
| the common feature and cause of accidents | | | | percent during the week and 12 percent during |
| today. As per studies carried out by NHTSA in | | | | the weekend. alcohol-related crashes tend to |
| 2006, Alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents | | | | be much more serious. |
| under influence of alcohol kill someone every | | | | |
| 31 minutes and injure someone every two | | | | It is estimated that 2.6 million drunk |
| minutes in US alone. | | | | driving crashes each year victimize 4 million |
| | | | innocent people who are injured or have their |
| In 2005, 16,885 people died in | | | | vehicles damaged. |
| alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, | | | | |
| accounting for 39% of all traffic-related | | | | Male drivers involved in fatal crashes were |
| deaths in the United States (NHTSA 2006). | | | | nearly twice as likely to have been |
| | | | intoxicated (21.8%) than were females |
| In 2006 there were 17,941 driving fatalities | | | | (11.2%). |
| related to alcohol. This was 41 percent of | | | | |
| the total 43,000 fatalities. | | | | 18-20 year olds are responsible for more than |
| | | | 10 percent of the drunken driving trips in |
| An alcohol-related motor vehicle crash kills | | | | America. |
| someone every 31 minutes and nonfatally | | | | |
| injures someone every two minutes (NHTSA | | | | More than 2,300 anti-drunk driving laws have |
| 2006). | | | | been passed since 1980. |
| | | | |
| Drugs other than alcohol (e.g., marijuana and | | | | In addition to possible jail time and fines, |
| cocaine) are involved in about 18% of motor | | | | a DUI conviction is cause to have your |
| vehicle driver deaths. These other drugs are | | | | insurance policy revoked and rates to |
| generally used in combination with alcohol | | | | skyrocket. Many people will be forced to get |
| (Jones et al. 2003). | | | | SR-22 insurance. |
| | | | |
| Each year, alcohol-related crashes in the | | | | Ways to Avoid Driving Drunk: |
| United States cost about $51 billion (Blincoe | | | | |
| et al. 2002). | | | | Get a designated driver. |
| | | | |
| Most drinking and driving episodes go | | | | Drink at locations within walking distance of |
| undetected. In 2005, nearly 1.4 million | | | | your home. |
| drivers were arrested for driving under the | | | | |
| influence of alcohol or narcotics (Department | | | | Call a cab. |
| of Justice 2005). That's less than one | | | | |
| percent of the 159 million self-reported | | | | Search for services that will take both you |
| episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among | | | | and your car home if you are drunk. |
| U.S. adults each year (Quinlan et al. 2005). | | | | |
| | | | Look for public transportation in larger |
| Half of all holiday driving fatalities are | | | | cities. |
| alcohol-related. | | | | |
| | | | Ask the bartender for help and let him know |
| Most people with DUIs are not alcoholics. | | | | if you are the designated driver. |
| | | | |
| About 80 percent of alcohol-related | | | | Offer to pay for a cab or drive friends home |
| fatalities are caused by beer consumption. | | | | if they are drunk. |
| | | | |
| About two in every five Americans will be | | | | Drink nonalcoholic beverages. |
| involved in an alcohol-related crash at some | | | | |
| time in their lives. (NHTSA, 1996) | | | | Life is precious. It is in our hands to curb |
| | | | this menace. |