Drunken Driving: How Prevalent is It?
February 15th, 2008 by admin
New Year’s Eve and other holidays bring a shudder to law enforcement officials. As they clock in to start their shifts, many wonder if this will be the night that they have to pull the lifeless body of a passenger from a car that has been wrapped around a tree, an event that happened for just one reason: the driver had too much to drink and decided to get behind the wheel of a car and venture forth.
A survey conducted by FindLaw.com last fall, just before the busy Labor Day weekend, revealed a startling fact: as many as one in twelve drivers admit to have driven drunk at one time or another. Specifically, more than 7% drivers surveyed said that they had more alcohol in their bodies than legally allowable and chose to drive anyway. Each person who responded gave their answer based upon the previous twelve months only.
Specifically, the survey revealed:
Men were almost three times more likely than women to say they have driven when they thought they were above the legal limit.
Younger drivers — ages 18 to 34 — were more than twice as likely as older drivers to admit the same behavior.
Of those drivers who admitted driving while possibly over the legal limit, one in nine (12%) say they have been arrested for driving while intoxicated sometime in their life.
All states recognize a blood alcohol concentration (BOC) level of 0.08% or higher as evidence of drunk driving. However, even with rates lower than that figure, a driver can be stopped for driving impaired which can lead to their arrest and conviction. With all of that information in mind, FindLaw.com recommends the following:
Play it safe; call a cab. Besides putting your life and those of others in danger, some states give police the authority to make a DUI arrest on probable cause if you are intoxicated and in your vehicle with your keys, even if the vehicle is not moving.
DUI laws involve more than just alcohol. DUI laws are not limited to alcohol use. Most states take into account any substance, including marijuana, prescription drugs and even over-the-counter drugs, such as antihistamines, which may impair a driver’s ability to think clearly and safely operate a motor vehicle.
Think twice before refusing a sobriety test. You may refuse to take a chemical test (blood, breath, urine), but almost every state has a so-called “implied consent” law, and under such laws a refusal can result in suspension of your driver’s license for three to 12 months. This is true even if you’re eventually found not guilty of the drunk driving charge. Further, if your drunk driving case goes to trial, the prosecutor can tell the jury that you wouldn’t take the test, which may lead the jury members to conclude that because you refused you were, in fact, under the influence. In states such as California, juries are instructed that they may infer that you were conscious of your own guilt.
Get a lawyer. Because defending against a charge of driving under the influence requires an understanding of scientific and medical concepts, it’s best to hire an attorney who specializes in DUI law. If you need to find a lawyer, go to http://www.findlaw.com/, which can help you locate an attorney specializing in DUI and DWI law.
Cooperate at sobriety checkpoints. Even if you have not consumed any alcohol or drugs, you should cooperate with law enforcement authorities if instructed to pull over at a drunk driving checkpoint, which an increasing number of states conduct during major holiday weekends, such as Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
Most certainly, you don’t want to be the cause of an accident that injures or kills you, a passenger or the passengers of another vehicle. Driving while impaired or while drunk is irresponsible, a practice that can destroy the lives of victims and their families.
By: Matthew C. Keegan
About the Author:
Tags:Driving While Intoxicated,Eve
A survey conducted by FindLaw.com last fall, just before the busy Labor Day weekend, revealed a startling fact: as many as one in twelve drivers admit to have driven drunk at one time or another. Specifically, more than 7% drivers surveyed said that they had more alcohol in their bodies than legally allowable and chose to drive anyway. Each person who responded gave their answer based upon the previous twelve months only.
Specifically, the survey revealed:
Men were almost three times more likely than women to say they have driven when they thought they were above the legal limit.
Younger drivers — ages 18 to 34 — were more than twice as likely as older drivers to admit the same behavior.
Of those drivers who admitted driving while possibly over the legal limit, one in nine (12%) say they have been arrested for driving while intoxicated sometime in their life.
All states recognize a blood alcohol concentration (BOC) level of 0.08% or higher as evidence of drunk driving. However, even with rates lower than that figure, a driver can be stopped for driving impaired which can lead to their arrest and conviction. With all of that information in mind, FindLaw.com recommends the following:
Play it safe; call a cab. Besides putting your life and those of others in danger, some states give police the authority to make a DUI arrest on probable cause if you are intoxicated and in your vehicle with your keys, even if the vehicle is not moving.
DUI laws involve more than just alcohol. DUI laws are not limited to alcohol use. Most states take into account any substance, including marijuana, prescription drugs and even over-the-counter drugs, such as antihistamines, which may impair a driver’s ability to think clearly and safely operate a motor vehicle.
Think twice before refusing a sobriety test. You may refuse to take a chemical test (blood, breath, urine), but almost every state has a so-called “implied consent” law, and under such laws a refusal can result in suspension of your driver’s license for three to 12 months. This is true even if you’re eventually found not guilty of the drunk driving charge. Further, if your drunk driving case goes to trial, the prosecutor can tell the jury that you wouldn’t take the test, which may lead the jury members to conclude that because you refused you were, in fact, under the influence. In states such as California, juries are instructed that they may infer that you were conscious of your own guilt.
Get a lawyer. Because defending against a charge of driving under the influence requires an understanding of scientific and medical concepts, it’s best to hire an attorney who specializes in DUI law. If you need to find a lawyer, go to http://www.findlaw.com/, which can help you locate an attorney specializing in DUI and DWI law.
Cooperate at sobriety checkpoints. Even if you have not consumed any alcohol or drugs, you should cooperate with law enforcement authorities if instructed to pull over at a drunk driving checkpoint, which an increasing number of states conduct during major holiday weekends, such as Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
Most certainly, you don’t want to be the cause of an accident that injures or kills you, a passenger or the passengers of another vehicle. Driving while impaired or while drunk is irresponsible, a practice that can destroy the lives of victims and their families.
By: Matthew C. Keegan
About the Author:
Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer who resides in Cary, North Carolina. Matt is a contributing writer for Andy’s Auto Sport an aftermarket supplier of quality parts including Acura CL wheels and Acura MDX wheels.
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