MICDS Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Drinking While Driving V o l u m e
I s s u e
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N e w s l e t t e r
D a t e
The Dangers of Drinking While Driving
Drinking While Driving:
The Dangers P of Drinking .1 While Driving The Affects of Alcohol on Driving
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P .1
DWI,DUI,O P WI .2 How To Be Safe?
P .2
Actions Taken to Stop Drinking While Driving
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The Progress P
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Driving a vehicle after drinking any amount of alcohol can be very dangerous(6). It puts yourself and many other innocent peoples lives in jeopardy. People who drive with a high blood alcohol content or BAC have increased the risk of car accidents and vehicle deaths dramatically (6). In 2008, 16,653 people were killed in an alcohol related crash, and another 310,000 were injured (8). This is very bad because, every accident caused by drinking alcohol while driving could have
been prevented(8). When people drink and drive they don’t realize that they are not just hurting themselves,
What could happen if you choose to drink and drive.(2) but also putting innocent peoples lives at stake that have family and friends that care about them. The
thing that hurts the most about a death caused by a drunk driver is that it was caused by a mistake. Around 13,000 innocent people are killed each year by drunk drivers(7), and they have no idea that death is swerving around the corner. They’ll say, “I only had five beers, That’s nothing,” or “It’ll be fine, I live a few blocks away”, but in reality this is not ok and if you ever choose to drive a vehicle while intoxicated, don’t just think about yourself, but the well -being of others.
The Affects of Alcohol on Driving Alcohol has a negative affect on one’s driving skills (9). Even a very small consumption of alcohol can affect a person’s driving skills greatly(9). The side affects that alcohol has on
driving are psychomotor skills, vision, perception, steering, information processing , and attention(9). These causes, along with the ignorance factor of people are the reasons why
drinking while driving are so dangers. In general, alcohol downgrades a person’s brain functions, so to drive while intoxicated is a very hard thing to do safely (9).
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DWI, DUI, OWI
Drinking While Intoxicated (3)
Don't ever let your friends drive drunk. Take their keys, have them stay the night, have them ride home with someone else, call a cab, or do whatever else is necessary - but don't let them drive!(5)
Drinking while intoxicated is a serious offence and against the law in America. If caught by a police officer drinking while driving the offences they may give you are a DWI (drinking while intoxicated), DUI (drinking under the influence), or a OWI (operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated)(1).
These are all based on the officers observation of the drivers behavior, slurred speech, or a road side sobriety test. Another offence they may give is “illegal per se”, which they give to people driving with a BAC of .08% or higher(1). Before the punishment would just be a license suspension, confiscating
vehicle plates, or increasing fines, but now harsher punishments are being enforced such as jail time or permanent vehicle for forfeiture(6). This has helped prevent more cases of drunk driving in America, casing the roads to be a little more a safer than they used to be(6).
How To Be Safe? You never know when exactly you may encounter a drunk driver, but there are many things you can do to make yourself safer and more prepared for if the time ever comes. Never ride in a car with someone who has been drinking, in-
stead be the designated driver for who ever needs you(5). More simpler things to do are: wear a seatbelt, ride in a car with air bags, refer to safety ratings of vehicles, avoid travel after midnight (especially Fridays and Saturdays), use four lane
highways if possible, never use illegal drugs, don’t drive while fatigued, avoid rural roads, don’t try to talk on the phone or put on make up, and avoid aggressive drivers(5). These simple requests could easily help save many peoples lives.
Actions Taken to Stop Drinking While Driving MOTHER AGAINST DRUNK. DRIVING (11)
There are many organizations out there such as MADD (Mothers against drunk driving) or the NHTSA (national highway traffic safety administra-
Drinking While Driving
tion) that have strived and work to prevent drinking while driving (4). But probably the most successful thing helping the cause to stopping drinking while driving would have to be the
slogan “You Drink & Drive, You Lose”.(16) This is an $11 million advertisement program backed up by the police department, warning that if you are caught drinking while driving, then you will be arrested and prosecuted(16).
Volume 1, Issue 1
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The Progress The of
roads the
United States have been getting safer by the decades(5). Alcohol related traffic deaths have decreased from 60% of all traffic related deaths in 1982 to 39% in 2005(5), that
is almost cut in half from what it was. Just from 2007 to 2008 alone, there is a difference of almost 1,300 people lives. Alcoholic related traffic fatalities per vehicle miles traveled have also dropped dramatically(5). America is starting to realize how bad drunk driving can
Safe Roads for the future. (14*)
be and are making an effort to put a stop to it. They have started to see the light that not everything is about themselves, and they have made room in their hearts for others. But even with this progress around 13,000 people still die each year from drunk driving related crashes (7), and we need to put an official stop to it once and for all.
Popular slogan helping the cause of preventing cases of drinking while driving. (12)
"Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" (8)
Bibliography 1. “2007 Drunk Driving Statistics.” Alcohol Alert. 10 November 2009. <http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-drivingstatistics.html>. 2. Admin. “car-crashes.” 3 May 2009. Online Image. Top 10 List. 22 November 2009. <http://top-10-list.org/2009/05/16/>. 3. Admin. “Tips To Fight a DUI/DWI Ticket in New Jersey.” 23 December. Online Image. NJ Traffic Ticket Attorney. 22 No vember 2009. <http://www.njtrafficticketattorney.com/>. 4. “Alcohol-Related Traffic Crashes and Drunk Drivers.” Potsdam. 12 November 2009. <http://www2.potsdam.edu/ hansondj/Drivingissues/1093285086.html>. 5. “Drinking & Driving.” Potsdam. 12 November 2009. <http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/DrinkingandDriving.html>. 6. “Drinking While Driving.” Alcohol Alert. 10 November 2009. <http://www.alcoholalert.com/drinking-while-driving.html>. 7.“Drunken Driving Declines in the U.S.; drug use „troubling,‟ agency says.” CNN. 13 July 2009: 8. “Drunk Driving —Predictable, but Inevitable?.” Potsdam. 12 November 2009. <http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/ Drivingissues/1043412017.html>. 9. “Effects of Alcohol on Driving Performance.” BNET. 20 November 2009. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0847/ is_n1_v14/ai_9353143/>. 10. Johnson, Kiianah. Telephone Interview. 20 November 2009. 11. “MADD.” Online Image. The Heritage Company. 22 November 2009. <http://www.theheritagecompany.com/ advantageonline/spo/0406/index.htm>. 12. “Police: You Drink & Drive. You Lose.” Online Image. Hoffman Estates. 22 November 2009. <http:// www.hoffmanestates.com/index.aspx?page=322>. 13. Tanay. “Highway.” 19 April 2008. Online Image. 110MB. 22 November 2009. <http://www.110mb.com/forum/i-needthis-image-please-help-me-using-ur-google-search-skills-t29220.0.html>. 14. Tuitasi, Debbie. Email Interview. 20 November 2009. 15. West, Dan. Telephone Interview. 20 November 2009 16. “You Drink and Drive. You Lose.” Potsdam. 12 November 2009. <http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/ Drivingissues/1063908073.html>.