The Behavioral Impact of Drinking and Driving Laws by Bertelli and Richardson Jr.

Anti-drunk driving campaigns are designed to encourage people to reconsider their decision to drink and drive. Although driving while intoxicated campaigns are straightforward, strategies that will effectively accomplish the objective is much more difficult to pinpoint. Many campaigns use fear tactics; however, researchers find that using this method is mixed.

Two years ago my best friend was killed by a drunk driver in a tragic accident. A bystander was also severely injured in the tragedy and is no longer able to walk, talk or eat by himself. People will have to

Drinking and driving is said to be the primary contributor to automotive related deaths. “By law, a driver is considered to be impaired by alcohol if his or her blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent or higher” (Holzmueller). As a matter of fact, “in 2010, about 86 percent of all fatalities alcohol-involved crashes were in cases where a driver or pedestrian had a BAC of .08 or higher” (“The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010” 147). Laws and penalties have been created and applied in recent years that make it more difficult to get away with drinking and driving. If drivers are charged with alcohol-impaired driving, “they face suspension or revocation of their license” (Holzmueller).

Advertisements posted on the website facesofdrunkdriving.com share multiple stories of people who were unexpectedly struck by drunk drivers. There was one story in particular that stood out to me more than the others and that was Jacqueline Saburido’s. This advertisement makes a powerful statement about how drunk driving can not only kill someone, but can also scar someone for life. The goal of the organization that posted this advertisement is to never drink and drive. It is not worth risking your life, someone else’s life, or putting anyone at risk of lifelong hardships and injuries. They present

There are two types of deterrence: individual or specific deterrence, and general deterrence. Individual or specific deterrence seeks to deter the offender from re-offending. General deterrence seeks to deter the public from criminal behavior through the punishment of offenders. “Deterrence is based on the perceived certainty, severity, and celerity of detection and sanction” (Vingilis 645). People who support legal measures are calling for harsher laws and tougher punishments. Some of the proposed measures are: 1. Anyone convicted of drunk driving will be required to pay large fines (starting at $5,000 for a first offense). 2. Anyone convicted of drunk driving will be required to spend at least some time in jail or prison. 3. All convicted drivers will be required to have yellow license plates on their cars so that other people will know who they are and what they have done. 4. Anyone convicted will automatically lose their driver’s license for one year. 5. Surprise roadblocks will be set up and police will stop all drivers and test them for drunk driving. 6. All convicted drivers who are alcoholics will be required to have psychological treatment. 7. An ignition interlock system will be installed in convicted driver’s vehicles. 8. The possible seizure and sale of a repeat offender’s vehicle, and 9. Lowering the blood alcohol level from .10% to .08%, since a person can still be drunk at .08%.

The facts are plain and simple, that alcohol and driving do not mix. About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol related crash at some time in their lives. Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is totally preventable. To curb this national travesty, concerned Americans need to examine the problems, the effects, and the solutions to drunk driving. First of all, America has had a problem with drunk driving since Ford perfected the assembly line. Alcoholism is a problem in and of itself, but combined with driving can have a wide range of effects. The consequences of this reckless behavior can include a first time DUI or licenses suspension; a small fender bender, or worst of all a deadly crash. Most

Drunk Driving Wrecks: Making sure that the drunk driver is held responsible for his actions according to the laws of Texas.

Driving under the influence of alcohol has been a major issue in America, spanning all the way back to more than 50 years ago (Raymond). Many accidents are caused from drinking and driving yearly, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries involving innocent people. When alcohol is mixed with driving a motor vehicle, there are no limits to who may be at risk. This means that drunk driving has been harming, hurting and killing many innocent people in America. Over the years I have witnessed many aftermaths of drunk driving accidents and have heard of multiple accidents resulting from alcohol use involving people I know, and people I do not know. Sometimes, in accidents like these, all parties involved may walk away from the accident with

"The problem with drinking and driving is the mourning after", a very simile quote has such a huge meaning behind it, in my family's case we got off lucky. It was a late night, my father received the phone call, I don't think I've seen that look ever in his eyes the 18 years I've been alive. It was about his brother he had gotten in a very catastrophic accident after making the horrible choice to drink and drive. It seemed like the longest drive to Dallas which is where my uncle was airlifted to go into surgery. We arrived at the hospital and were told he was unconscious so I waited in the waiting room with my cousins to comfort them while my aunt and dad were in the room with my uncle. After sitting in the gloomy waiting room for what seemed life forever I decided to take my cousins home we stopped by to get food. His choice to drink and drive was a very bad one, he was unfit to make such a big choice while not in the correct state of mind he had alcohol in his system and lots of it, he had no right to endanger not only his life but every other person that was around him while he was driving. Statistics show that Texas is the leading state for drunk driving cases and Harris county alone had 362 deaths in 2015 alone, driving under the influence not only has physical damage that can be done there's the emotional side that people have to deal with and what the families go through, drunk driving has more effects than just what just meets the eye. Drunk drivers

Likewise, the dominant part of those butchered are essentially irreproachable losses whose behavior did not contribute to their passings. These last two declarations are both false. On attest age a crushed driver that murders has never been incorporated in an alcohol related mishap before and have no prior affections for inebriated driving. The part about the all inclusive community killed are basically immaculate bystanders is over exaggerated as well. An expansive part of the sloshed drivers victims are the drivers themselves, their frequently explorers, and the intoxicated pedestrians and cyclists. Despite this inebriated driving is still incredibly unsafe. It is the primary wellspring of surprising harm passings in America today. Undoubtedly it is said that stomach muscle out 40 % of the people will be incorporated in an alcohol related mischance in the midst of their life. Tanked driving is especially dangerous to youths, who have all the earmarks of being more included than others. Drunk driving is the most clear purpose behind death among adolescents, speaking to 20% of all passings from ages 15 to 20. Inebriated driving is such a hard thing to overcome in any case. In our overall population alcohol is overwhelmingly recognized as a facilitator of pleasant correspondence, and the giant bigger piece of adults beverage. Regardless, steps are being taken and the amounts of

I remember being eight years old and looking out the window; my heart was heavy as I examined the giant crushed piece of metal sitting in my driveway. It looked as if a herd of thousand horses trampled viciously on top of my mom’s maroon colored Jeep Cherokee. It was clear to see my dad was drinking and driving again. All too often drivers decide to put their keys in the ignition, start the car, and head off onto public roads, despite the fact that their motor abilities and mental judgement has been impaired from drinking alcohol. Drinking and driving is a devastating crime that affects the lives of many. When people decide to drink and drive, they are at risk of getting their license suspended, getting

In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving incidents. Out of those people, 65% (6,515) were drivers, 27% (2,724) were passengers, and 8% (837) were non-passengers (“Drunk Driving Statistics”). Over half of those fatalities (67.1%) involved blood alcohol levels over .15% (“Drunk Driving Statistics”). The legal blood-alcohol content is .08%. Drunk driving caused 31% of deaths in car crashes in 2013 (“Drunk Driving Statistics”). In 2012, 402 people were killed by alcohol impairment in North Carolina (“Drunk Driving Statistics”). These numbers, though they seem astonishing, have been cut in half since 1991 (“Drunk Driving Statistics”). Even though the number of fatalities has been lowered, that number is not low enough. Most drunk drivers are repeat offenders. Lives are being taken because of the careless attitude of the drunk drivers. Drunk driving is selfish; those who commit this crime do not think about the extreme consequences of their actions. In North America it is estimated that 1-5 drivers has been drinking and 1 in 10 is legally impaired on any Friday or Saturday night (Root). Many groups, including MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), are fighting to stop drunk driving. Unfortunately, drunk driving cannot be stopped. People will always commit this heinous crime. The numbers may go down, but unfortunately there will always be a number. The only way to continually decrease the amount of lives lost is to increase punishments for drunk driving.

Whether it is a pedestrian walking down the sidewalk or a car full of people the fact is they are all at put at risk when there are drunk drivers on the road.

Drinking and driving can cause a lifetime of pain. When you get under the wheel while you are intoxicated not only are you putting yourself at risk, but also the lives of other innocent people are in danger. Everyone should have the right to drink but if you act irresponsibly, your right should be taken away. Each person is liable to suffer the consequences from endangering others. One who drives drunk not only should have their license taken away, they should have the right to drink taken away. Drinking and driving may not seem like a big deal until you see what happens when things go wrong. I would like you to read a personal narrative that Casey McCary Bloom wrote who is now serving 21 years to life in prison.

Fatalities that occur suddenly can be more difficult to deal than anticipated death because members of the family are not well prepared. Sudden losses are even more difficult to process when a person is killed violently knowing that it could have been prevented if it wasn’t for another person’s negligence. These actions often cause strong emotions, and anger. Sometimes family members will experience violent thoughts, or will consider doing things that are out of personality, leading to suicide. In addition, Family members are financially affected after losing their loved ones. The cost of medical bills, phone bills, travel, counseling, and the funeral can be devastating to families with a small budget causing more suffering and pain. For the survivors of crashes caused by drunk drivers, who have life sentence injuries their pain and suffering is just starting, while the offender is having his life back without any injuries or scratches. In most cases, crash survivors will live the rest of their life with pain, isolation, endless medical bills, and would depend on others for the rest of their lives.