In the article entitled The Dangers of Drinking and Driving, driving while either intoxicated or drunk is dangerous and drivers with high blood alcohol content or concentration (BAC) are at greatly increased risk of car accidents, highway injuries and vehicular deaths. Possible prevention measures examined here include establishing DWI courts, suspending or revoking driver licenses, impounding or confiscating vehicle plates, impounding or immobilizing vehicles, enforcing open container bans, increasing penalties such as fines or jail for drunk driving, and mandating alcohol education. Safety seat belts, air bags, designated drivers, and effective practical ways to stay sober are also discussed.
Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is totally preventable. Although the proportion of crashes that are alcohol-related has dropped dramatically in recent decades, there are still far too many such preventable accidents. Unfortunately, in spite of great progress, alcohol-impaired driving remains a serious national problem that tragically effects many victims annually. Most drivers who have had something to drink have low blood alcohol content or concentration (BAC) and few are involved in fatal crashes. On the other hand, while only a few drivers have BACs higher than .15, a much higher proportion of those drivers have fatal crashes.
While society has done much to improve highway safety, you can do much to protect yourself.
Don't drink and drive and don't ride with anyone who has too much to drink. Remember, it is usually themselves and their passengers who are harmed by drunk drivers. The risk of collision for high BAC drivers is dramatically higher than for a non-drinking driver.
Men are the biggest contributors to the drunk driving taking part in our country.
Why are men more likely than women to report drunk-driving episodes? They account for four out of five of the self-reported drunk driving episodes in the U.S. in 2010, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention — 81%. Why? Is it a matter of self-reporting? Is it a matter of men taking more risks? Of men more often acting as the driver when a couple is wasted? Men are more likely to commit serious crimes such as murder and rape ...and also appear to be the ones who stagger back into their cars after a few drinks. Perhaps it's a matter of bravado or simply mistaken perceptions of their own drunk driving abilities?
Remember, don't ever, ever drive if you, or anyone else, thinks that you may have had too much to drink. And don't let anyone else. That includes reporting drivers who may be drunk. It's always safest not to drink and drive.
