Alcohol: Problems and Solutions

Alcohol Problems and Solutions

Drinking and driving solutions: reducing drunk driving..

Drinking and driving while either impaired or drunk is dangerous. Drivers with high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are at much greater risk of traffic crashes. Thus more injuries and deaths.

     Overv i ew

I.   The Problem

III. Possible Preventions

      A. Solutions

      B. Possible Solutions

      C. Of Little Value

IV. Often Overlooke

      A. Drugged Driving

       B. Distracted Driving

V.   Resources

I. The Problem: Drinking and Driving

Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is preventable. In fact, the proportion of alcohol-impaired driving crashes has dropped greatly over time.

But there are still far too many such crashes. We’ve made great progress. Yet alcohol impaired driving remains a serious problem. It tragically effects many victims and their families each year.

drinking and driving

It’s all too easy to forget that statistics refer to real people. Therefore, this page is dedicated to a grandfather and his three grandchildren. They were all killed by a drunk driver. Family and friends deeply mourn their needless deaths.

II. Facts about Drinking and Driving

drinking and driving

But the risk of death from drinking and driving escalates with BAC. And it does so greatly. Over two-thirds of alcohol-related traffic deaths involve a driver with a BAC over 0.15. 1

High BAC drivers are more likely to be male and aged 25-35. Also, they often have a history of DWI and drug abuse.

III. Possible Prevention

Possible prevention measures include these, among many others.

drinking and driving

  • License suspention or revocation.
  • License plate confiscation.
  • Vehicles impoundment.
  • Open container bans.
  • Increased penalties for drunk driving.
  • Required alcohol education.
  • Enforcement of seat belt laws.
  • Greater use of Designated Drivers.

A. Solutions for Reducing Drinking and Driving

Alcohol-impaired drinking and driving resists simple solutions. But there are many actions that could contribute to reducing the problem.

  • DWI courts  are effective in reducing impaired drinking. They work with hard-core repeat offenders. They do so by treating alcohol addiction. The  failure rate of DWI and DUI courts is very low . 24

drunk driving solutions essay

  • Automatic license revocation along with required jail appears to be even more effective. 3
  • Confiscating license plates. 4
  • Requiring ignition interlock devices. They prevent persons with alcohol on their breath from starting a vehicle. 5

drinking and driving

  • Expanding alcohol server training programs. 7
  • Using social norms programs . They correct the false belief that most people sometimes drive under the influence of alcohol. 8
  • Requiring alcohol testing in fatal crashes. That would help convict drunk drivers.

Improved roads

Raised lane markers are easier to see. Corrugations along the edges of roads make a sound when driven over. This alerts inattentive drivers.

Other cost-effective improvements can save lives. They include wider roads and improved street and highway lighting. Also break-away sign posts.

Improved Vehicles

Improvements in vehicles include brake lights at eye level, door crash bars, and many computer-assisted features.

 B. Promising but Inadequately Evaluated Measures

  • Distinctive license plate marking for an alcohol offense. 10
  • Bans on open containers in vehicles. 11  (Not all states have these.) 12
  • Tiered penalties based on BAC level. 13  Typically used for speeding.
  • Restricted nighttime driving by young people. This appears to be effective in those states with such restrictions. 14
  • Electronic monitoring of repeat DWI offenders. 15
  • Involve drivers in reporting drunk drivers. They can dial 911 on their cell phones. See Help Police Stop Drunken Drivers .
  • Educate prospective drivers on alcohol and driving. Then test knowledge on driver’s exams.

We need to evaluate all of these very promising measures. This would determine their effectiveness.

C. Measures of Little or No Value.

drunk driving solutions essay

  • The perception of swift and certain punishment is more important than severity. 18  Stricter laws and large fines appear to have little deterrent effect. 19
  • Increasing the cost of alcohol would have virtually no impact on reducing drunk driving. 20  Both research and common sense suggest this. Cost doesn’t deter heavy drinkers. And most minors don’t buy their drinks.

The Good News

We can do it! We have already done a great deal. Of course, we must do even more to reduce drunk driving. The number of alcohol-related traffic deaths per 100,000 population has greatly dropped. It’s over two-thirds less since 1982. Other measures of the problem are similar. So we’re clearly winning the battle against alcohol-related traffic deaths.

We can and must do even better.

IV. Often Overlooked

Drinking and driving

MADD founder Candace (Candy) Lightner formed We Save Lives .  It focuses on all of the three Ds. That is,  D runk, D rugged, and D istracted driving.

A. Drugged Driving

Studies have looked at drivers stopped for erratic driving, involved in a crash, or killed in a crash. Over one-third had at least one drug in their bodies. Also, many were under the influence of both drugs and alcohol. 21

Surveys report a large increase in drugged drivers over a seven year period. (On the other hand, those with alcohol in their blood dropped by almost one-third during the period.) 22

B. Distracted Driving

At any moment during daylight, about 660,000 drivers in the U.S. are using an electronic device. A total of 421,000 people in a recent year were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Thousands died. 23  And the problem continues to get worse.

V. Resources: Drinking and Driving

  • How Can I Sober Up Fast? What Works, What’s Dangerous? 
  • How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your Body?
  • Avoid Unjust Conviction for DWI or DUI Charges .

Popular Readings

  • NHTSA. Drunk Driving .     
  • Harper, A. Drunk Driving: Existing Programs.
  • Nat Cent Victims Crime. Driving Under the Influence .  
  • Patterson, M. Tears for Tyler . (A victim.)          

Scholarly Reading

  • Cooper, B. et al.   Drink, death, and driving. Do blood alcohol content limit reductions improve road safety?   Health Econ , 29(7) , 841-7.      
  • Nat Acad Sci. Getting to Zero Alcohol-impaired Driving Fatalities .
  • Nat High Safe Admin (NHTSA).   Countermeasures That Work – Alcohol-Impaired Driving .
  • CDC.  License Plate Impoundment .
  • Countermeasures That Work – Alcohol-Impaired Driving . 
  • NHTSA. Evaluation Of Vehicle Impoundment.
  • Fell, J. Approaches for Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving. In Jones, A. et al (eds). Alcohol, Drugs, and Impaired Driving . 
  • Pribble, J., et al . A social norms strategy to reduce impaired driving .   Ann Emerg Med , 48(6) , 739.
  • Brady, J., et al. Effectiveness of mandatory alcohol testing programs.   Am J Epid ,  170(6) , 775-82.
  • NHTSA. Vehicle and License Plate Sanctions . DOT HS 810 880.
  • Cathey, J. The Effects of Alcohol Regulation and Legislation. 
  • Nat. Conf. State Leg. Open Container and Open Consumption of Alcohol State Statutes .
  • Voas, R. and Fisher, D. Court Procedures for Handling Intoxicated Drivers.
  • Monash U. Night Driving Restriction Reduces Young Driver Crashes .
  • Voas and Fisher, ibid.
  • Homel, R. Policing and Punishing the Drinking Driver.
  • Lock ‘Em Up. Is Jail Really the Best Deterrent to Drunk Driving?  
  • Wright, N. and Lee, L. Alcohol-related traffic laws and drunk-driving fatal accidents . Acc Anal Prev , 161 .
  • McClelland, R. and Iselin, J. State Alcohol Excise Taxes May Have Little Effect on Drunk Driving Fatalities .
  • NIDA. Drugged Driving .
  • NHTSA. Traffic Safety Facts Research Note . DOT 812 118.
  • StopDistractions.org . Also  Bock, O. et al . Distracting tasks have persisting effects on drivers’ braking performance . Acc Anal Prev ,  161 .
  • Petrucci, C. DWI Courts . Ch 3 in Ahlin, E. and Douds, A. (eds.) Taking Problem-solving Courts to Scale , 53-72.

Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Drunk Driving — Persuasive Speech On Drunk Driving

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Persuasive Speech on Drunk Driving

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on Accelerating Progress to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities; Negussie Y, Geller A, Teutsch SM, editors. Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities: A Comprehensive Approach to a Persistent Problem. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2018 Jan 17.

Cover of Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities

Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities: A Comprehensive Approach to a Persistent Problem.

  • Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

8 Conclusion

Despite years of progress in the United States, alcohol-impaired driving remains a major preventable public health and safety issue. Over the past 10 years progress has stalled, and for the past 2 years the number of alcohol-impaired fatalities has increased. Alcohol-impaired driving crashes cost the nation billions of dollars in terms of loss of life, injury and disability, lost productivity, and social and economic consequences, and it needs to become a priority issue across stakeholders and sectors. Changes in the social, economic, technological, and clinical arenas have opened up new opportunities to take action on this multifaceted problem. A renewed and comprehensive approach is needed to successfully reduce serious injuries and fatalities. Furthermore, a one-size-fits-all approach will not suffice, as U.S. states make up a patchwork of different existing policies, needs, and resources. Vision Zero, a philosophy that is grounded in the belief that no death caused by a motor vehicle crash is acceptable, provides a framework to engage novel stakeholders and a system with the goal of eliminating alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities. With this philosophy, each alcohol-impaired driver represents a system failure.

With this vision in mind, the committee examined the causes and consequences of alcohol-impaired driving and delineated the most promising and evidence-based solutions to employ. This report begins with an update on the burden of alcohol-impaired driving crashes (see Chapters 1 and 2 ) and delves into the complex factors that shape alcohol-impaired driving including the current alcohol and driving environments (see Chapter 2 ). Using the committee's conceptual framework (see Figure 8-1 ) as a guiding schema, the report then discusses interventions (i.e., programs, policies, and systems) to be used at the various phases of an alcohol-impaired driving crash: alcohol consumption and drinking to the point of impairment (see Chapter 3 ); driving while impaired (see Chapter 4 ); and postcrash and/or arrest (see Chapter 5 ). These interventions target multiple levels identified in the socioecological model (see Figure 1-6 ). The report then examines the current state of data and surveillance systems for alcohol-impaired driving and makes recommendations on how to improve the comprehensiveness and accessibility of data (see Chapter 6 ). Finally, the report explores the strategies and tools needed to generate action and discusses the roles of a few important stakeholders (see Chapter 7 ).

Preventing alcohol-impaired driving crash fatalities conceptual framework. NOTES: Each of the phases in this figure represents an opportunity to intervene and prevent alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. A square denotes a behavior, a diamond denotes (more...)

As illustrated in the committee's conceptual framework, there are intervention opportunities across multiple sectors and disciplines. When interventions are implemented collectively, they can achieve the vision of zero alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. These cross-cutting relationships are visible in the synergies of the interventions that the committee recommends throughout the report. For example, some of the drinking-oriented policies discussed in Chapter 3 that address illegal sales require public support and enhanced enforcement efforts to be most effective. Other strategies, including those related to taxation, outlet density, or hours of sale, do not depend on law enforcement and have population-level impact and therefore the potential for a large impact if prioritized. A systematic approach to addressing the alcohol environment would engage policy makers, alcoholic beverage control agencies, public health agencies, local law enforcement agencies, alcohol retailers, the legal community, and potentially other local institutions such as schools, health care systems, small businesses, local development agencies, and faith-based institutions.

Chapter 4 also illustrates the interdependent nature of interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving in the discussion of sobriety checkpoints. These enforcement activities are effective when the public is aware of them and the perceived risk of apprehension while driving impaired is significant. For example, the implementation of a lower blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit set by state law will require publicity through media campaigns and visible enforcement to change norms. In addition, if the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) comes to market, it is unique in that it is a prevention technology that once in place will not require enforcement; however, it will require a successful media campaign to inform the public on what it is and why it is important. Furthermore, readily available data on high-risk areas and intersections or place-of-last-drink for driving while impaired (DWI) offenders would inform targeted enforcement interventions such as sobriety checkpoints.

Other recommendations would have an increased effect among specific populations when implemented in conjunction with each other. For example, for alcohol-impaired drivers with alcohol use disorder (AUD), a system such as DWI courts to engage high-rate recidivists or high BAC offenders could address the underlying causes of their behaviors. Moreover, if court-appointed practitioners use evidence-based evaluation and treatment practices, this would increase the likelihood that the individual will not repeat the offense. Importantly, many of the alcohol-impaired driving interventions in the report would also address drug-impaired driving, a growing public health and safety issue. For example, enhanced resources for law enforcement—trained to identify general impairment in drivers—to conduct frequent and publicized sobriety checkpoints and proper treatment of AUD would likely improve apprehension, deterrence, and treatment of individuals who drive under the influence of drugs. In summary, the synergies of the interventions discussed throughout the report need to be taken into account by policy and decision makers as they create a comprehensive plan for their state or locality. Implementing these interventions in combination would also permit the development of improved evidence to inform the optimal mix of policies and interventions in the long term.

Rural areas are at particularly high risk, as interventions applicable in urban areas may be less practical in rural settings. A comprehensive approach that involves multiple sectors will be important to address the disproportionate number of fatalities in rural areas. For example, primary seat belt laws and enforcement, improved road design, improved emergency response, lower BAC limits set by state law, increased alcohol taxes, and use of ignition interlocks (and eventually DADSS), among other interventions, have the potential to be effective in rural areas when used together.

Applying a Vision Zero approach wherein every stakeholder has an opportunity and responsibility to take action and hold others accountable will help sustain comprehensive solutions for alcohol-impaired driving. Throughout the report, the roles of specific stakeholders are identified. For instance, Chapter 3 highlights the role of alcohol law enforcement agencies in monitoring and enforcing violations to reduce illegal sales to already-intoxicated adults and underage persons. Chapter 4 discusses the role of local departments of transportation in promoting the availability and affordability of alternative transportation options for individuals who drink alcohol. Chapter 7 outlines the role of the health sector, including public health, in providing care to individuals at risk for impaired driving, supplying data, and convening important stakeholders. Table 8-1 categorizes the interventions that are discussed in this report as evidence based or promising and identifies the important stakeholders and time frame for implementation. 1 Collectively, the committee's conclusions and recommendations offer a blueprint for stakeholders across many sectors to take part in reducing alcohol-impaired driving fatalities.

TABLE 8-1. Tools and Stakeholders to Accelerate Progress to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities.

Tools and Stakeholders to Accelerate Progress to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities.

Conclusion 8-1: To achieve the goal of zero alcohol-related crash fatalities, a systematic multipronged approach with clear roles and accountabilities across sectors (including public health, transportation, law enforcement, and health care providers, among others) is needed.

This comprehensive multisector approach has the potential to renew progress and save lives from alcohol-impaired driving crashes.

  • Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020. Evidence-based clinical and public health: Generating and applying the evidence. 2010. [October 5, 2017]. http://www ​.healthypeople ​.gov/2010/hp2020 ​/advisory/pdfs/EvidenceBasedClinicalPH2010.pdf .

Time frame (approximations of when these interventions could be in place): short term is 0–2 years, midterm is 3–10 years; long term is 10 years or more.

  • Cite this Page National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on Accelerating Progress to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities; Negussie Y, Geller A, Teutsch SM, editors. Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities: A Comprehensive Approach to a Persistent Problem. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2018 Jan 17. 8, Conclusion.
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James F. Zender Ph.D.

How Drunk Driving Can Be Prevented

Commentary: initiatives to address impaired driving could reduce car crash risk..

Posted September 13, 2021 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

According to the CDC, one person in the U.S. dies every 50 minutes due to impaired driving, with the annual cost of alcohol -related crashes totaling more than $44 billion. Considering that almost 50 billion people worldwide are left injured or disabled by crashes—with an annual cost to the US alone of almost $1 trillion—increased safety and prevention initiatives are essential.

It’s heartbreaking for me to witness the devastation of car crash survivors and their families on a daily basis. It’s particularly disheartening to be aware of just how many crashes are alcohol-related and could have easily been prevented. My crash survivor patients always ponder what could have been done, if anything, to prevent their accident; usually, there are a multitude of "if only's." If only they hadn’t taken that road; if only they left 10 minutes later; if only they rode their bicycle to work that day; if only they had planned ahead for a designated driver.

Can Car Crashes Be Prevented?

There are two things we know for certain: Impaired driving kills and impaired driving is entirely preventable. In my book on car accident recovery, I share an interview with a first responder on drunk driving. Hearing him recount the numerous horrific injuries and deaths caused by drunk drivers is sobering, to say the least. It takes but a second—and for some people, just one glass of wine—to forget that alcohol impairs judgment. How many times have you heard someone say that they’re fine to drive after drinking or that they haven’t had that much to drink and can handle their alcohol?

Of particular concern are teen drivers that frequently engage in risk-taking behaviors such as driving under the influence of alcohol. A requirement by insurance companies for vehicles to have in-car breathalyzers that either will not operate if the state alcohol limit is exceeded or a system that will alert local police to the impaired driver’s location could go a long way towards crash prevention. Many would argue this feels too much like state control over individual choice and freedom. However, in my view, it stands to reason, as driving under the influence is a criminal offense.

Recently, I was pleased to hear about a federal infrastructure bill in the works that would require auto manufacturers to install technology to prevent drunk driving. According to an article in Time , the technology may involve passive monitoring of a driver’s breath, eye scans to check for focus, or infrared touch tests on ignition buttons.

As part of the spending plan for the bill, further accident prevention initiatives will include rear guards required for semi-trucks, an in-car reminder to check for children in the back seat to prevent leaving them in a hot car once the engine stops, and a study using crash-test dummies to accurately measure accident impacts on young and elderly people, as well as women. Research shows that children and women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of traumatic brain injuries and much more needs to be done to protect these populations from being injured in a crash.

The passing of the federal bill will rely heavily on feedback from the U.S. Department of Transportation on costs and effectiveness. It’s worthwhile to note that along with potentially saving more lives, ride-share, tech, and insurance companies all stand to profit.

It's all too easy for us to forget that when we get behind the wheel of a car, we are accepting the risk of bodily harm to ourselves and to others. We have sadly become desensitized to the endemic of car crashes as cars are the most widely used mode of transportation. Personally, I hope that the passage and implementation of a new federal bill would encourage us to focus more on safe driving practices and lead to increased communication and collaboration with lawmakers, auto manufacturers, insurance companies, and governments. A cohesive, informed, combined approach is crucial for us to reduce all crash-related injuries and deaths. As we share the roadways, so must we also share in the responsibility for safety and crash prevention.

Suggested Reading & Resources

CDC. “Impaired Driving.” CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/impaired_driving/index.html

James F. Zender, PhD (2020). Recovering from Your Car Accident. The Complete Guide to Reclaiming Your Life. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

MADD. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). US. https://www.charities.org/charities/mothers-against-drunk-driving-madd

Philip Elliott. “Buried in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill: In-Car Breathalyzers.” Time, August 3, 2021. https://time.com/6086981/bipartisan-infrastructure-bill-breathalyzers/

Roadpeace-The National Charity for Road Crash Victims. UK. https://www.roadpeace.org/

James F. Zender Ph.D.

James F. Zender, Ph.D., is a clinical and forensic psychologist who specializes in auto accident trauma treatment and care.

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What Works: Strategies to Reduce or Prevent Alcohol-Impaired Driving

The strategies in this section are effective for reducing alcohol-impaired driving. *  They are recommended by The Guide to Community Preventive Services, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Different strategies might require different resources for implementation or have different levels of impact. This information can help decision makers and community partners see gaps and identify the most effective strategies to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

Lower Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits

Alcohol-impaired driving laws make it illegal to drive with a BAC at or above a specified level (0.05 grams per deciliter [g/dL] or 0.08 g/dL, depending on the state). Globally, most high-income countries have BAC laws set at 0.05 g/dL or lower, 1,2  and these laws are effective for reducing crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers and deaths from these crashes. These laws serve as a general deterrent and reduce alcohol-impaired driving even among drivers who are at highest risk of impaired driving. Utah implemented a 0.05 g/dL BAC law in 2018. This law was associated with an 18% reduction in the crash death rate per mile driven in the first year after it went into effect. The new law was also associated with lower alcohol involvement in crashes. 3

Other Laws and Policies That Can Reduce Access to Alcohol and Alcohol-Impaired Driving

Zero tolerance laws make it illegal for people under age 21 to drive with any measurable amount of alcohol in their systems. These laws and laws that maintain the minimum legal drinking age at 21 are in place in all 50 states and D.C. They have saved tens of thousands of lives. Maintaining these laws is critical.

Policies that make alcohol less accessible, available, and affordable are effective for reducing drinking to impairment and can also help to prevent alcohol-impaired driving. Some examples include increasing taxes on alcohol and regulating alcohol outlet density to reduce the number of retailers that can sell alcohol in a particular location.

Publicized Sobriety Checkpoints

Publicized sobriety checkpoints allow law enforcement officers to briefly stop vehicles at specific, highly visible locations to check drivers for impairment. Officers may stop all or a certain portion of drivers. Sobriety checkpoints should be well publicized, such as through mass media campaigns, and conducted regularly for greatest impact.

High-Visibility Saturation Patrols

High-visibility saturation patrols consist of a large number of law enforcement officers patrolling a specific area, usually at times and locations where crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers are more common. These patrols should be well publicized and conducted regularly just like sobriety checkpoints.

Ignition Interlocks

Ignition interlocks for all people convicted of alcohol-impaired driving, including first-time offenders, can be installed in vehicles to measure alcohol on a drivers’ breath. Interlocks keep vehicles from starting if drivers have a BAC above a certain level, usually 0.02 g/dL. Interlocks are highly effective at preventing repeat offenses while installed. Incorporating alcohol use disorder assessment and treatment into interlock programs shows promise in reducing repeat offenses even after interlocks are removed. 4

Alcohol Use Disorder Assessment and Treatment Programs

People who have alcohol use disorder (AUD) can benefit from long-term, tailored, and specialized treatment programs. Ideally people would receive treatment for AUD before committing an alcohol-impaired driving offense. However, when people are arrested for alcohol-impaired driving, this can serve as an opportunity to assess drinking habits and refer them for brief interventions (described below) or specialized treatment. Treatment for people with AUD who are convicted of alcohol-impaired driving is most effective when combined with other strategies (such as ignition interlocks) and when offenders are closely monitored. Treatment should not replace other strategies or remove alcohol-impaired driving sanctions from a person’s record. Assessment and treatment are critical to the success of driving while impaired (DWI) courts, which are specialized courts focused on changing the behavior of people who are convicted of alcohol-impaired driving.

Alcohol Screening and Brief Interventions 5,6

Alcohol screening and brief interventions typically focus on identifying people who drink alcohol excessively  but do not have AUD. Ideally people would be identified before committing an alcohol-impaired driving offense. However, an alcohol-impaired driving arrest can be used as an opportunity to screen people for excessive alcohol use. Brief interventions involve assessing readiness, motivators, and barriers to behavior change. These interventions can be delivered in person or electronically (such as on computers or cell phone apps) in many settings, such as hospitals, doctor’s offices, and universities.

Multi-Component Interventions

Multi-component interventions combine several programs or policies to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. The key to these comprehensive efforts is community mobilization, in which coalitions or task forces help design and implement interventions.

School-Based Instructional Programs

School-based instructional programs are beneficial for teaching teens not to ride with alcohol-impaired drivers.

* Unless otherwise noted by a numbered reference, the content for this page comes exclusively from the following sources:

  • The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) Findings for Motor Vehicle Injury
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasures Guide for State Highway Safety Offices, Tenth Edition, 2020 [PDF – 641 pages]
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on Accelerating Progress to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities. Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities: A Comprehensive Approach to a Persistent Problem . Negussie Y, Geller A, Teutsch SM, editors. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US) ; 2018.
  • Dellinger AM, Yellman MA. Chapter 170: Road Safety and Injury Prevention . Maxcy-Rosenau-Last Public Health & Preventive Medicine , 16e . Boulton ML, Wallace RB, editors. McGraw Hill ; 2022.

CDC Impaired Driving fact sheet - Georgia page

Working together, we can keep alcohol-impaired drivers off the road.  Fact sheets are available for each state and the District of Columbia. They include national and state data on alcohol-impaired driving and crash deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers, as well as an overview of proven strategies for reducing and preventing alcohol-impaired driving.

  • Impaired Driving: Get the Facts
  • Data and Resources for States and Tribes
  • Motor Vehicle Prioritizing Interventions and Cost Calculator for States (MV PICCS)*

*CDC offers an interactive calculator to help state decision makers prioritize and select from a suite of 14 effective motor vehicle injury prevention interventions. MV PICCS is designed to calculate the expected number of injuries prevented and lives saved at the state level and the costs of implementation, while considering available resources.

  • World Health Organization. Global status report on road safety 2018 . Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2018.
  • Yellman MA, Sauber-Schatz EK. Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths — United States and 28 Other High-Income Countries, 2015 and 2019 . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep . 2022;71:837–843. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7126a1
  • Thomas FD, Blomberg R, Darrah J, Graham L, Southcott T, Dennert R, Taylor E, Treffers R, Tippetts S, McKnight S, Berning A. Evaluation of Utah’s .05 BAC per se law (Report No. DOT HS 813 233) . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); February 2022.
  • Voas RB, Tippetts AS, Bergen G, Grosz M, Marques P. Mandating treatment based on interlock performance: evidence for effectiveness . Alcohol Clin Exp Res . 2016;40(9):1953–1960. doi:10.1111/acer.13149
  • Tansil KA, Esser MB, Sandhu P, Reynolds JA, Elder RW, Williamson RS, Chattopadhyay SK, Bohm MK, Brewer RD, McKnight-Eily LR, Hungerford DW, Toomey TL, Hingson RW, Fielding JE; Community Preventive Services Task Force. Alcohol Electronic Screening and Brief Intervention: A Community Guide Systematic Review . Am J Prev Med . 2016;51(5):801–811. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2016.04.013
  • U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Final Recommendation Statement – Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Adolescents and Adults: Screening and Behavioral Counseling Interventions . U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; November 2018.

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Research Topics About Drunk Driving

drunk driving solutions essay

  • Penalties for Drunk Driving: Criminal Charges for Causing Death While Driving Under the Influence
  • Campaigns to Combat Drunk Driving
  • Alcohol-Impaired Driving: Cause, Effect, and Control
  • The Relationship between Breath Testing and Drunk Driving Demand
  • Evidence on Punishment and Deterrence from Drunk Driving
  • Seatbelt Use Following More Stringent Drunk Driving Laws
  • Managing the Problem of Teenage Drinking and Driving
  • The Intentional and Unintentional Consequences of Drunk Driving Policies
  • Increase Penalties for Repeated Drunk Driving Offenders
  • Preferred Drunk Driving Punishment Structure
  • Alcohol and Drunk Driving Are Among the Leading Causes of Death.
  • Technology Against Drunk Driving for U.S. Automakers
  • Death Penalty for Drunk Driving: Should Drunk Drivers Who Kill Someone Get the Death Penalty?
  • Repeat Offenders Can Be Prevented from Drunk Driving
  • The Suffering and Pain That Drunk Driving Causes.
  • State-Specific Drunk Driving Laws and Penalties in the United States
  • The Necessity for More Stringent Drunk Driving Laws
  • A View from the Economics of Crime on Preventing Drunk Driving Fatalities
  • Evidence from Underage Drunk Driving Laws Concerning Youth Alcohol Use and Risky Sexual Behavior
  • The Problem of Teenage Drinking and Driving in the United States: Causes and Solutions

Drunk Driving Essay Titles

  • Relationships between Drunk Driving and Traffic Crashes
  • Aggressive Strategies to Prevent Drunk Driving
  • Impaired Driving Laws and Traffic Fatalities
  • The Consequences of Drunk Driving on Society
  • Drunk Driving and Drug Use Pose A Substantial Danger to Public Safety
  • Deaths from Irresponsible Drinking and Drunk Driving
  • Effects and Causes of Drunk Driving
  • The Terrible Tragedy That Drunk Driving Has Caused in the United States
  • The Reality of Drunk Driving: Why Drunk Driving Laws Should Be Stricter
  • Dangers and Need for Preventing Drunk Driving
  • Drunk Driving Following the Implementation of Smoking Bans in Bars
  • Government and Society Should Collaborate to Eliminate Drunk Driving
  • America Needs Better Drunk Driving Laws
  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving: from the Ground Up to Policy
  • Evidence from Underage Drunk Driving Laws Regarding Heavy Alcohol Use and the Commitment of Nuisance Crime
  • Psychological Foundations of Drunk Driving
  • Comparison of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the National Urban League
  • Preventing Teen Drinking and Driving
  • License Revocation and Impaired Driving
  • Drunk Driving Fatalities: Exigent Solution
  • What Is Teenage Drunk Driving, and What Happens When the Phrase “Drunk Driving” Is Heard?
  • Why Does Drunk Driving Occur?
  • Why Should Drunk Driving Laws Be Made Stricter?
  • How Has Drinking and Driving Affected A Student?
  • Did Ontario’s Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing Laws Reduce Drunk Driving Among Teenagers?
  • Can Police Deter Drunk Driving?
  • What Are the Effects and Cause Essays on Drunk Driving?
  • What Is the Issue with Drinking and Driving?
  • What Are the Five Telltale Signs of An Impaired Driver?
  • What Is the Definition of Drunk Driving?
  • Is It A Drunk Driver or A Drunken Driver?
  • Why Do Drunk Drivers Manage to Survive?
  • Why Are Drunk Drivers Treated So Lightly?
  • What Is the Remedy for Drunk Driving?
  • How Can You Stop Drinking and Driving?
  • What Do Drivers Need Three Seconds to Accomplish?
  • How Long After Drinking Is It Safe to Drive?
  • What Are the Penalties for A First Offense of Driving Under the Influence?
  • Do You Accumulate Points for Drunk Driving?
  • What Are Some Common Driving Distractions?
  • What Are the Consequences of Drunk Driving?
  • How Might One Best Defend Against A Drunk Driving Charge?
  • What Do Police Frequently Look for in Drunk Drivers on the Road?
  • Why Does America Need to Improve Its Drunk Driving Laws?
  • How Do We Tackle the Problem of Teenage Drunk Driving?
  • What Are Deterring Drunk Driving Fatalities?
  • Did Ontario’s Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing Laws Reduce Drunk Driving Among Teens?
  • What Are the Psychological Roots of Driving Under the Influence?
  • What Are the Argumentative Effects of Free Drunk Driving on Society?
  • What Are Effective Punishments for Drunk Driving in Wisconsin?

Research Topics on Domestic Violence

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Drunk Driving Solutions Essay

Thanksgiving Day CBS news reported yet another fatality caused by a driver impaired by alcohol.((Benitez, lucero, kgpe). Even Though drunk driving fatalities numbers are on the decrease as the years go by .Significant numbers of fatalities are still present .The highest rate is among teen drivers and we need to discuss solutions to this serious existing situation. These fatalities are Lowering on a national level, but the numbers are staggering. I would just say that fatalities are actually down about 25 percent over the past decade, so there has been major improvements in the United States in terms of reducing drunk-driving fatalities. There is room for improvement because there are still you know 10,000 people that die from drunk driving …show more content…

Magnitude of and trends in alcohol -related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18–24, 1998–2005. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs) (Suppl. 16):12–20, 2009. Zero-Tolerance Laws. Thirty-seven States and the District of Columbia now have adopted zero-tolerance legislation, laws that make it illegal for drivers under 21 to drive after drinking any alcohol. Laws setting legal BAC limits of 0.00 to 0.02 percent are considered zero-tolerance laws.Education, enforcement, and comprehensive community programs, combined with legislation, can substantially reduce alcohol-related traffic

Driving Under the Influence Essay

  • 6 Works Cited

Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities were 1,028 in 2008 for the state of California (Century Council). Of those deaths, 68% of the drivers were considered “Hardcore Drunk Drivers”; drivers who had a BAC level of 0.15+ (Century Council). Unfortunately, the drivers who got behind the wheel of those vehicles now have to deal with the fact that they slaughtered a person(s), because they made the choice to drive their car when they knew they had consumed alcohol.

The Consequences of Drinking and Driving Essay

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

The Problem Of Teen Drinking

Every 51 minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk driving crash. A dangerous issue facing society today is the problem of teen drinking and driving. Currently an approximate of 10,076 people die in drunk driving crashes per year. If positive progress to ceasing this act does not happen, teens will continue to drink and drive putting everybody on the road at risk. Teens who drink and drive put everyone on the road at risk, causing serious crashes that could be preventable.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Essay

  • 1 Works Cited

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

Distractions while Driving

People like to go to parties and have fun all the time and what’s a party without alcohol, right? The problem with drinking at parties, however, is that many don’t know that they have become drunk and end up driving around after they leave the party. Drunk driving is dangerous and those driving that have high blood alcohol content or concentration (BAC) increases their risk of causing or being a part of accidents such as vehicle crashes or highway injuries (“Driving,” n.d.). The article “About Drunk Driving” (n.d.) states that every 53 minutes on average, someone is killed in a drunken driving crash and every 90 seconds, someone is injured.

Why Shouldn’t We Lower the Blood Alcohol Rate? Essay

More important, this law probably won’t do much to reduce drunken driving accident. According to NTSB cites’ statistics, only 8 % of all drivers between .05 to .08 BAC involved in fatal accidents. And that number doesn't even report whether alcoholic impairment caused the accident. NTSB says that .05 is reasonable because driving performance would be affected before a driver reaches .08. That is definitely correct. But plenty of factors could influence driving performance. Medications, electronic distractions, lost sleep, and missed meals could all be the factors of causing accident.

Drunk Driving And Drunk Drivers

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.

Drunk Driving Persuasive Speech Essay

Drunk driving is an epidemic that continues to have severe and life threatening consequences for those involved, if we simply take a few steps against drunk driving we can help decrease this epidemic.

Why Do You Shouldn T Drink And Drive Persuasive Essay

A lot of people do not take drinking and driving serious because they take they can make it home safe, but really they either get in wrecks or pulled over before ever making it home. “In 1996 there were 17,126 alcohol-related traffic fatalities, representing 41% of all traffic fatalities that year. In addition, more than 321,000 persons were injured in crashes where police reported the presence of alcohol involvement.¨ ()

Preventing Drunk Driving Essay example

Approximately one million people are injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes every year and young people, ages 16 to 24 are involved in 28% of those alcohol-related driving accidents, although they make up only 14% of the U.S. population. On any given weekend evening, one in 10 drivers on America's roads has been drinking and according to the latest statistics, in a family of five the prospect of you or someone in your family being involved in an alcohol-related motor vehicle accident in their lifetime, is an astounding 200 percent. That's a lot of tragic, meaningless deaths that could actually have been avoided.

Effects of Texting While Driving Essay

  • 4 Works Cited

In 2010, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. Of the 1,210 traffic deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years in 2010, 211 (17%) involved an alcohol-impaired driver. Of the 211 child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2010, over half (131) were riding in the vehicle with the alcohol-impaired driver. In 2010, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. That is one percent of the 112 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.

Essay The Problem of Drunk Driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol has affected and devastated countless people’s lives. Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous situations you can put yourself or someone else into. The evidence against driving while intoxicated is massive and it has left a long trail of broken dreams and lives. If you drink and drive, not only do you possibly put yourself at risk, but your passengers and pedestrians, and other people on the roads. According to the most recent statistics by the National Commission Against Drunk Driving is that 17, 000 Americans die each year in alcohol-related traffic crashes and 600,000 Americans are injured. (National Commission Against Drunk Driving, 2003). That’s an average of one fatality every

Essay On Drunk Driving

Every 53 minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk driving crash. That equates to 27 people every day. Someone is injured in a drunk driving incident every 120 seconds. On average many will drive 80 times under influence before anyone will get caught and arrested. Some may think drunk

Drinking and Driving Essay

  • 12 Works Cited

Undoubtedly, the legal limit for drinking while driving desperately must be reconsidered. Driving after consuming any amount of alcohol is negligent and hazardous. The concern of drinking and driving is a state law; therefore, the rules and laws may vary among the states. Regardless, drinking while driving is an enormous concern in all 50 states and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming any amount of alcohol should not be tolerated under any circumstances. “The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream is called Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). It is measured in milligrams percent. In most states, drinkers are presumed to be legally impaired if they have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. This is the same as one drop of alcohol in 1,200 drops of blood. While this may seem a small amount to worry about, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.30 can cause a person to go into a coma, while a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.40 could easily kill you” (Chaves County DWI Program). A surprising statistic to most people is, on average about three drinks will put an individual over the legal limit. One drink is considered 12oz beer, 3oz of wine, and 1oz of hard liquor (Arizona Department of Public Safety). Many people get behind the wheel, after having just a few drinks, believing that they have

Alcohol Related Accidents Essay

Someone in America dies every twenty-two minutes, because of an alcohol related accident. Most people feel that they will never be part of this statistic, but experts on this subject say that everyone has a forty percent chance of being in an accident with a drunk driver. Drunk driving is a serious problem that the United States, as well as the world, is trying to deal with, because it does not only effect a select few, it effects everyone. Drunk driving amongst high school students is an enormous problem that the United States is trying to cope with. Many programs have come to surface over the past few years, that educate students on this situation. MADD, mothers against drunk driving, is a non profit

Related Topics

  • Alcoholic beverage
  • Alcohol law
  • Driving under the influence
  • Drinking culture
  • Drunk driving

Drunk Driving Solution

drunk driving solutions essay

Show More According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD, in the article “MADD-Drunk Driving,” “290,000 people are injured from drunk driving accidents yearly”. Out of those 290,000 people, about 10,000 people are killed from drinking and driving (Impaired Driving: Get the Facts). The loss of 10,000 people yearly could be prevented, only of people could make one choice. This choice affects 290,000 people yearly. The choice is to not drink and drive. Drunk driving is a problem all around the world that people turn a blind eye to. If only the world opened up their eyes to the seriousness of drunk driving, the deaths and casualties because of this action could decline. Once people fully understand that causes, effects, and solutions of drinking and driving, it will …show more content… No matter how many drinks you have had, statistics show either way you are likely to crash because of them. Alcoholics and binge drinkers do not know how to control their alcohol or control themselves, this is why they are a big part of alcohol related accidents. High school kids are drinking at parties but then wanting to leave after they have drank 4 to 6 beers. No one thinks about the problem or stops these kids, which it can lead to them getting in a car accident and injuring themselves or someone else. Being drunk makes it hard for people to focus, see the road lines, and taking control. Alcohol does not allow you to drive properly. The consequences of being intoxicated while driving are sometimes fatal, but always serious. Men have been responsible for ⅘ episodes (81%) of drinking a drinking (Drinking and Driving: A Crash Course). This does not mean that women have never been involved in a car accident because of alcohol. In Los Angeles, CA, a woman was arrested on January 06, 2016 for drunk driving. She was driving, struck a parked car, and hit 3 pedestrians. One of three pedestrians died on the scene and the other

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Drunk Driving Persuasive Essay

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Legal Drinking Age

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Related Topics

  • Alcoholic beverage
  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving
  • Driving under the influence
  • Drunk driving
  • Drunk driving in the United States
  • Remove Intoxicated Drivers

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Essay on Drunk Driving : Problems, Causes, and Effects

March 4, 2018 by Study Mentor Leave a Comment

Table of Contents

What is drunken driving?

When a person gets drunk beyond permissible limits and resorts to driving a vehicle on road on his own, against legal norms, he carries the possibility of being the reason behind a road accident.

The risk of his own life cannot be ruled out in such cases.

The pillion rider/riders seated along with the drunk driver is also at risk and innocent passersby and fellow riders on road may also be involved or targeted in unnecessary accidents, due to negligence on part of the drunk driver.

This in totality can be explained as drunken driving.

It’s not that every person who is drunk hits the road and becomes the reason behind some accident. There are permissible levels as well as levels beyond the permissible limits when one is not supposed to drive vehicles.

When a person is drunk to a mild level, he can still be aware of what is taking place in his surroundings. He remains connected to the happenings in and around him.

He would almost be in a normal state of mind and can perceive things quite normally as well.

When a person is drunk at a mid-range, he may or may not be able to gauge what’s happening in and around him. It depends entirely on the person how the actions of his drinking affect him personally.

If a person has taken to too much of drinking, then he sure may have lost his stability and may be in a state where he would require help or assistance in handling his own self.

This is the stage where one is not supposed to drive, because beyond a certain permissible limit, one cannot even walk on the road without help.

In a state of lost consciousness, one cannot judge between the various actions taking place in front of him. Due to excessive drinking, the person’s mind may not respond at a normal level.

He might take way too much time to decide how to react in a situation. He might not be able to avert warning signs.

The brain functioning for a certain amount of time would not entirely be in his own hands and he may look like a slave of his own actions.

Care and precaution have to be exercised when individuals resort to too much of drinking.

They would have to take someone along to bring them back home. They would have to be assisted by someone they rely on to be by their side to take care of them.

Why people resort to drunken driving?

The first question to be asked here is, why do people resort to excessive drinking when they know its harmful to their health, self being and to their dependents as well.

It’s a matter of individual choice whether one wants to drink to such a level that he gets totally intoxicated within his own world.

He gets involved so deeply that defies the ability to neither recognize the world around him nor himself and behaves unruly without a reason.

People usually drink when it’s an occasion. When they have achieved something and they want to celebrate it with their friends and family, they hang out at parties and celebrate by sharing drinks with each other.

When people are lazing out in the weekends, they wish to drink to spend lazy moments with their friends. After a week of hard work, it’s time to relax, so they may choose to drink.

When on a vacation with friends, they may choose to drink. When persons see failure in career and personal lives, they wish to take themselves away from the grief and pain for a while.

It’s a kind of temporary relief for the mind, wherein excessive drinking takes off the thought of pain from one’s mind for a certain period of time until the hangover recedes.

So there are just many factors why people choose to drink. But the reasons why people choose to drink excessively are again individual specific. It depends on their social status, their upbringing, their cultural norms, societal make up and a whole lot of other significant factors.

Let’s imagine a late night party at a pub where friends are enjoying themselves after their final exams in college. Students, who are soon going to be professionals, are celebrating their victory over their exams.

It’s a matter of time. They want to celebrate all the hard work they put in to complete their exams.

After a whole lot of hard work and smart study, they wish to rejoice with dear friends before they say good bye to each other, when they would be taking different career paths after this.

So on such an occasion, students especially in this case, may or may not know about the extent of their indulgence in drinks.

Due to pressure from their friends, they may even be drunk twice the normal levels and may not realize it also.

So, it would be a normal case for any student from that enjoying bunch to drive back home after the party gets over and that’s what everyone tends to do.

But not realizing the amount of alcohol intake, not realizing whether they have drunk too much and resorting to drive back home on their own could throw many risks at sight.

In a fit of enjoyment, they fail to realize the long term repercussions that may occur. Driving back on their own may lead to accidents.

They may not be able to see light in front of them since visibility reduces when a person has drunk excessively. He may not be able to judge traffic or spot vehicles nearby.

The normal way of driving becomes an unnecessary burden; the usual effort with which a person drives now becomes a heavily purposeful act.

It may be supported by uneasiness, lack of interest to drive, inability to see things clearly, not able to judge things, everything appearing hazy and inability to make timely decisions.

All these situations lead to unseen and unknown incidents. The person’s life is majorly at risk. He may even forget to wear his helmet while driving.

The rider riding pillion along with the front rider also carries the risk of his life. Passersby who may be innocent may be victims when the drunk driver unknowingly hurts them or causes any injury.

When the drunk driver himself becomes a victim of some accident, his family members and dependents have to suffer along with him.

They would have to shell out money exorbitantly for treatments depending on the extent of injury.

Consequences of drunken driving

Drunken driving leads to many undesirable events, sometimes even proving fatal to one’s life. The families of the drunk driver along with his dependents are the sufferers in this case.

Most of the times, drunken driving leads to grievous injuries.

The affected persons including those affected by the drunken driver, like his own friends who were with the drunken driver while riding on a vehicle would also be considered victims in this case.

When there is no visibility due to excessive drinking, the clarity of vision reduces. Due to reduced visibility at night times, accidents often occur, sometimes leading to head injuries and sometimes taking away one’s own life.

The innocent family members are the ones who suffer without a reason. They are forced to bear the brunt of the irresponsible actions of the drunken driver.

Many families fall apart and divorces turn a common issue in many homes where drinking and irresponsible driving is part of a person’s life.

The Solution

Police personnel have woken up during recent times and have come up with an amicable solution that may not be a solution for drunken driving, but definitely discourages the act.

Police employ breath analyzers, a handy device that they use to detect if a person is drunk beyond permissible limits.

Police personnel employed during night times at traffic signals stop any suspicious person and would ask the person to take the breath analyzer test.

If the alcohol content in the test is detected beyond a permissible limit, then the person is definitely held back for payment of fine.

If after repeated warnings, the person does not obey rules, then his license may be cancelled and the law may take further course of action on such victims.

Happiness is definitely a state of mind. A person who is healthy is considered the most wealthiest person on this earth.

To stay happy and lead an enriched life, one need not derive that happiness by drinking and falling victim to drunken driving.

There are people who strictly do not drink, but still perceive happiness.

Happiness need not necessarily come from drinking alone, it is just an activity to relax one’s mind and should definitely not be taken beyond that.

We should be responsible for our own actions.

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On the Issue of Drunk Driving Essay

Introduction, drinking and driving, reference list.

Driving while drunk is collectively known as impaired driving where one drives when under alcohol or any other drug influence. In some countries such as Canada, drinking and driving is an offence and one could be jailed for although cancelling of driving licenses and fines are the most used punishments for such offences.

Driving while one is intoxicated or drunk poses great danger to drivers since they are more likely to get vehicle accidents which may involve injuries or even deaths to themselves and their passengers (if there are any). Many countries especially the UK have set different blood alcohol concentration for drivers to help prevent road accidents.

Driving while drunk has been, for many years, under discussions as the number of vehicle accidents are increasing every day in our roads. Drugs affect one’s ability to react to normal and small things that happen instantly especially when driving.

The concentration of alcohol in a driver’s blood is directly proportional to the driver’s ability to judge distances as well react appropriately to sudden happenings in the road. For instance, the number of deaths of single vehicle drivers registering high blood alcohol content is hundreds times more than those of the same drivers but with a zero blood alcohol content.

What makes the matter worse is the fact that some people drink to the extent of getting blurred vision but still they go on and drive. This situation is worsened more when a blurred driver is driving at night especially in areas where there are no street lights. To many people, drugs that affect one’s ability to drive safely are only the illegal drugs such as marijuana and bhang.

However, these include many of the prescription drugs and the over the counter drugs as long as the drug changes one’s mood or ability to see properly. Ignorance such side effects from the prescription drugs have contributed to a certain percentage of road accidents especially drugs that cause drowsiness. It is therefore up to the driver to plan not to drive if after all he is planning on drinking.

Enquiring from doctors about the side effects associated with prescription medications is also a good move in combating the problem. Some of these drugs, when combined with alcohol, have more drastic effects than either of them could by themselves (Hanson, 2009, p. 1).

Similar to many other social problems in the society today, drinking and driving has not been able to be stopped by the simple rules such as road signs.

As a result, other measures have been taken to effectively reduce the vice. Many countries have now implemented the automatic annulment of one’s license which has proved to be one of the most effective measures towards solving the problem because naturally, no one would want for his license to be cancelled. This has caused many drivers to be cautious on the same matter.

Mandatory jail sentence is also another effective way of getting drivers to avoid driving while they are drunk. Cessation of number plates may be as well an effective method of solving this problem. Laws should be put into place to prevent movement of certain vehicles whose drivers violate the ‘don’t drink and drive rule’.

The use of an alcohol blow gadget that detects the content of one’s alcohol has been helpful in determining drunk drivers in many countries. This makes it possible to identify and therefore punish the defective drivers. Setting up social programs that address the problems and risks associated with drunk driving may as well enlighten the drivers and give them a reason to take the matter seriously.

Restrictions to prevent night time driving especially among the youth who are always going to late night drinking parties could also prevent vehicle accidents. This may also involve getting a designated driver or one may choose to walk home instead of driving.

However, if you have to drink and drive, it is advisable for one to stay sober by either limiting the number of drinks (this differs with many people). Another way of staying sober is by eating protein rich foods such as especially meat while drinking to help lower the body’s rate of alcohol absorption (Hanson, 2009, p. 1).

It is disturbing how drinking and driving habits has caused many deaths on our roads. Many road accidents have been associated with careless driving resulting from drunk drivers. This is because many drugs lower the driver’s ability to coordinate his thoughts and respond to sudden happenings on the roads.

Due to the increase in road accidents, many countries have gone beyond the normal road signs rules to putting other strict measures into place in an effort to prevent these occurrences. Among the most effective measures that have worked in many nations are: jail sentencing or fining and annulment of one’s driving license.

By now it should be clear to every driver that careful driving (either sober or drunk), is all for one’s benefit as well as the other people around him. Drivers should therefore be responsible enough to ensure safety on the roads without being pushed by the law.

Hanson, D.J. (2009). Drinking & Driving. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 4). On the Issue of Drunk Driving. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drinking-and-driving/

"On the Issue of Drunk Driving." IvyPanda , 4 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/drinking-and-driving/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'On the Issue of Drunk Driving'. 4 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "On the Issue of Drunk Driving." December 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drinking-and-driving/.

1. IvyPanda . "On the Issue of Drunk Driving." December 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drinking-and-driving/.

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IvyPanda . "On the Issue of Drunk Driving." December 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drinking-and-driving/.

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New York Takes Crucial Step Toward Making Congestion Pricing a Reality

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to approve a new $15 toll to drive into Manhattan. The plan still faces challenges from six lawsuits before it can begin in June.

Multiple cars are stopped at a traffic light at a Manhattan intersection. A person responsible for controlling traffic stands nearby wearing a yellow reflective vest.

By Winnie Hu and Ana Ley

New York City completed a crucial final step on Wednesday in a decades-long effort to become the first American city to roll out a comprehensive congestion pricing program, one that aims to push motorists out of their cars and onto mass transit by charging new tolls to drive into Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

The program could start as early as mid-June after the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that will install and manage the program, voted 11-to-1 to approve the final tolling rates, which will charge most passenger cars $15 a day to enter at 60th Street and below in Manhattan. The program is expected to reduce traffic and raise $1 billion annually for public transit improvements.

It was a historic moment for New York’s leaders and transportation advocates after decades of failed attempts to advance congestion pricing even as other gridlocked cities around the world, including London, Stockholm and Singapore, proved that similar programs could reduce traffic and pollution.

While other American cities have introduced related concepts by establishing toll roads or closing streets to traffic, the plan in New York is unmatched in ambition and scale.

Congestion pricing is expected to reduce the number of vehicles that enter Lower Manhattan by about 17 percent, according to a November study by an advisory committee reporting to the M.T.A. The report also said that the total number of miles driven in 28 counties across the region would be reduced.

“This was the right thing to do,” Janno Lieber, the authority’s chairman and chief executive, said after the vote. “New York has more traffic than any place in the United States, and now we’re doing something about it.”

Congestion pricing has long been a hard sell in New York, where many people commute by car from the boroughs outside of Manhattan and the suburbs, in part because some of them do not have access to public transit.

New York State legislators finally approved congestion pricing in 2019 after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo helped push it through. A series of recent breakdowns in the city’s subway system had underscored the need for billions of dollars to update its aging infrastructure.

It has taken another five years to reach the starting line. Before the tolling program can begin, it must be reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration, which is expected to approve it.

Congestion pricing also faces legal challenges from six lawsuits that have been brought by elected officials and residents from across the New York region. Opponents have increasingly mobilized against the program in recent months, citing the cost of the tolls and the potential environmental effects from shifting traffic and pollution to other areas as drivers avoid the tolls.

A court hearing is scheduled for April 3 and 4 on a lawsuit brought by the State of New Jersey, which is seen as the most serious legal challenge. The mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., Mark J. Sokolich, has filed a related lawsuit.

Four more lawsuits have been brought in New York: by Ed Day, the Rockland County executive; by Vito Fossella, the Staten Island borough president, and the United Federation of Teachers; and by two separate groups of city residents.

Amid the litigation, M.T.A. officials have suspended some capital construction projects that were to be paid for by the program, and they said at a committee meeting on Monday that crucial work to modernize subway signals on the A and C lines had been delayed.

Nearly all the toll readers have been installed, and will automatically charge drivers for entering the designated congestion zone at 60th Street or below. There is no toll for leaving the zone or driving around in it. Through traffic on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and the West Side Highway will not be tolled.

Under the final tolling structure, which was based on recommendations by the advisory panel, most passenger vehicles will be charged $15 a day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The toll will be $24 for small trucks and charter buses, and will rise to $36 for large trucks and tour buses. It will be $7.50 for motorcycles.

Those tolls will be discounted by 75 percent at night, dropping the cost for a passenger vehicle to $3.75.

Fares will go up by $1.25 for taxis and black car services, and by $2.50 for Uber and Lyft. Passengers will be responsible for paying the new fees, and they will be added to every ride that begins, ends or occurs within the congestion zone. There will be no nighttime discounts. (The new fees come on top of an existing congestion surcharge that was imposed on for-hire vehicles in 2019.)

The tolls will mostly be collected using the E-ZPass system. Electronic detection points have been placed at entrances and exits to the tolling zone. Drivers who do not use an E-ZPass will pay significantly higher fees — for instance, $22.50 instead of $15 during peak hours for passenger vehicles.

Emergency vehicles like fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, as well as vehicles carrying people with disabilities, were exempted from the new tolls under the state’s congestion pricing legislation .

As for discounts, low-income drivers who make less than $50,000 annually can apply to receive half off the daytime toll after their first 10 trips in a calendar month. In addition, low-income residents of the congestion zone who make less than $60,000 a year can apply for a state tax credit.

All drivers entering the zone directly from four tolled tunnels — the Lincoln, Holland, Hugh L. Carey and Queens-Midtown — will receive a “crossing credit” that will be applied against the daytime toll. The credit will be $5 round-trip for passenger vehicles, $12 for small trucks and intercity and charter buses, $20 for large trucks and tour buses, and $2.50 for motorcycles. No credits will be offered at night.

Grace Ashford contributed reporting.

Winnie Hu is a Times reporter covering the people and neighborhoods of New York City. More about Winnie Hu

Ana Ley is a Times reporter covering New York City’s mass transit system and the millions of passengers who use it. More about Ana Ley

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