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