Author: Charles Frank

Drunk Driving: The Dangers Of Alcohol

We all know that drunk driving is dangerous, and most people would agree that it’s a good idea to avoid driving drunk. But even with this knowledge, people drive drunk nearly 300,000 times per day, and nearly 4,000 people are arrested for drunk driving every day. Driving under the influence (DUI) refers to being under the influence of any substance (including alcohol) and then operating a motor vehicle. Often called “drunk driving” interchangeably, it refers to operating any vehicle (including bicycles, motorcycles, golf carts, etc.) while impaired.

What are the legal consequences of drunk driving?

If you care about your future, the future of your loved ones and the health of our country’s economy, do not drink and drive. According to the NHTSA, the estimated economic cost of alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the United States is $49.8 billion annually. This cost includes lost productivity, legal expenses, medical costs, EMS, insurance, property damage, and traffic.

Just How Dangerous is Drunk Driving, Really?

1. Because of this risk, it’s illegal in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher, except in Utah where the BAC limit is .05.
2. In 2022, among children (14 and younger) killed in motor vehicle crashes, 25% were killed in drunk-driving crashes.
3. Any crime committed either qualifies as an infraction, a misdemeanor or a felony, with infractions being the least serious crimes and felonies being the most serious.
4. In 2017, drunk drivers with a BAC of 0.08% were responsible for the deaths of 10,784 people around the United States.
5. As alcohol levels rise in a person’s system, the negative effects on the central nervous system increase.

It is not known how many people are killed each year in crashes involving drug-impaired drivers because of data limitations.9 Regardless, driving while impaired by any substance is dangerous and illegal. Repeat offenders who drink and drive are a very real, very deadly problem. Drivers with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher involved in fatal crashes were 4 times more likely to have prior convictions for driving while impaired than were drivers with no alcohol (6% and 2%, respectively). Drunk driving is the most commonly committed criminal offense in the United States, with an estimated 300,000 people driving under the influence of alcohol every day. The negative consequences of drunk driving impact every level of our society.

In addition to these consequences, you’ll likely have to complete an extensive drunk driving education course. These courses will typically involve education in the dangers of drunk driving and an assessment and intervention as needed. Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from impaired driving and underage drinking. Continuing to drink in spite of a DUI conviction or time in jail is often a telltale sign of a larger struggle. Repeat offenders comprise almost one-third of all convicted drunk drivers. If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.

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Impaired driving can cause accidents that lead to paralysis, disfigurement, brain damage, and death. NHTSA demonstrates its commitment to eliminating drunk driving through research, public awareness campaigns, and state safety grant programs. We will continue until there are zero drunk-driving crashes on our roadways. If you drive while impaired, you could get arrested, or worse — be involved in a traffic crash that causes serious injury or death. In 2022, there were 2,337 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where a driver had a BAC of .01 to .07 g/dL.

Despite the high volume of drunk driving episodes, only a small percentage of impaired drivers are arrested. It is illegal in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher. If someone has a BAC at or above the legal limit, they are legally considered impaired. However, it’s important to note that critical thinking and fine motor skills begin to drop as soon as a person has taken their first sip of alcohol. Drinking and driving, also referred to as driving under the influence (DUI), involves operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 0.08%.

Effects of substances on driving

Additionally, you may need to obtain an SR-22 document to verify you have purchased auto liability insurance. If you or someone you care about is battling an alcohol addiction, know that help is available. Inpatient and outpatient treatment programs are available across the country.

Driving while impaired by any substance — legal or illegal — puts you and others in harm’s way. A DUI can set you back, on average, $10,000, and there could be a crash — people could get hurt or killed. Young people between the ages of 21 to 25 years old are the most likely to drive drunk. BAC is measured with a breathalyzer, a device that measures the amount of alcohol in a driver’s breath, or by a blood test.

Impaired Driving Laws, Enforcement and Prevention

The New Mexico Department of Transportation obtained funds from NHTSA in 2004 for a comprehensive state level impaired driving program. The program ran from 2005 to 2009, initially in five target counties, with a sixth county added in 2007. It included statewide media campaigns, an interagency leadership team, and increased, high visibility enforcement efforts and prosecutorial training. Program effectiveness was measured using driving while intoxicated crash, injury, and fatality rates, arrest rates, and conviction rates; blood alcohol concentration patterns; and public awareness. The results demonstrated effectiveness of the statewide and targeted efforts. Alcohol-involved fatal crashes decreased by 36.5% in those counties participating in the program, compared with a 31.6% decrease for the state as a whole.

In 2022, the highest percentage of drunk drivers (with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher) were the 21-to 24-year-old age group. Men are most likely to be involved in this type of crash, with four male drunk drivers for every female drunk driver. Know that alcohol steadily decreases a person’s ability to drive a motor vehicle safely.

Furthermore, alcohol-impaired driving incurs serious, long-lasting consequences for the offending drivers themselves and every innocent person affected by their crimes. In 2022, among children (14 and younger) killed in motor vehicle crashes, 25% were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Of those deaths, more than half the time (57%) the child killed was in the vehicle driven by the drunk driver. Financially, our country is buckling under the pressure caused by irresponsible drunk drivers. Conservative estimates suggest that the effects of alcohol-impaired driving and the mission to tackle it cost the United States billions of dollars every year.