Drunk Driving in the US: Why Are Cases Rising? Are the Current Laws Enough?

Alcohol is one of the oldest drugs known to humankind. There is compelling evidence that the Neolithic people drank beer during festivals. Alcohol has been around for ages, and the methods for making the drug have evolved over the centuries.   Today, alcohol is one of the most heavily abused drugs. You will likely find […]

Alcohol is one of the oldest drugs known to humankind. There is compelling evidence that the Neolithic people drank beer during festivals. Alcohol has been around for ages, and the methods for making the drug have evolved over the centuries.

 

Today, alcohol is one of the most heavily abused drugs. You will likely find the drug at parties and most social gatherings. It is ubiquitous among revelers, and brewers make a killing from the sale of the drug.

 

The drug induces a sense of camaraderie among revelers and is generally considered the definition of a good time. However, alcohol consumption has been rising at an alarming rate over the past few years, and the repercussions are dire.

 

Drunk Driving Cases Keep On Rising in the US

Cases of accidents due to driving under the influence are on the rise. The NHTSA reports that approximately 32 people die on the roads daily due to DUI. This figure translates to roughly one person every 45 minutes, which indicates an alarming and deadly trend.

 

With such worrying statistics, the drug is slowly turning from the blissful and social substance it once was to the bane of modern society. The government has enacted various strategies to reform drunk driving behaviors in drivers.

 

The majority of Americans seem to agree that drunk driving laws are inadequate. A recent study shows that 66 percent of Americans think the current drunk driving penalties are insufficient. Sadly, the figures keep on rising, indicating that their assumption is correct.

 

Moreover, 3 out of 4 respondents admitted they would report a family member or a friend for driving under the influence. This data shows that most Americans are aware of the social menace of drunk driving and the need to eradicate it.

 

Why, then, are more and more Americans drinking and getting behind the wheel? Various studies have attempted to shed light on this issue. One of the main reasons people drive after getting intoxicated is the false reassuring sense of ‘feeling okay’ to drive.

 

Another reason people drink and drive is short driving distances, sometimes less than 10km, which is still fatal. Finally, Americans get behind the wheel when intoxicated because they simply have no other option as they have to get home.

 

With this information in mind, different states have implemented various mechanisms to help curb this growing problem. For instance, the legal BAC is below the federal level of 0.08 percent in Utah (0.05 percent).

 

Statistics from the NHTSA show that since the implementation of this law, cases of drunk driving have drastically dropped in this region. This indicates that harsher penalties work when dealing with this issue.

 

What Americans Think

From a recent survey, it is clear that one of the most significant issues that help propagate drunk driving behavior in the US is misinformation. Worryingly, 24 percent of Americans admit that they would drive first thing in the morning after a night out drinking.

 

Even more shocking is that most respondents admitted to being oblivious of the 0.08 percent legal BAC limit. Such trends are dangerous and could significantly drive the worrying DUI crash and death rates.

 

There are conflicting reports on how long the body takes to metabolize alcohol and sober up. Therefore, driving in the morning after a night out is potentially dangerous.

 

Furthermore, driving under the influence of alcohol, no matter the BAC percentage, still poses a potential risk to yourself and other motorists on the road and pedestrians.

 

Wrapping Up

Alcohol impairs judgment and can reduce your ability to see and interpret your surroundings on the road. With the high number of fatalities due to drunk driving, it is high time the government inputs more stringent measures to curb this menace.

 

If you have been involved in an accident caused by drunk driving, finding an attorney you trust and feel comfortable with can make a big difference in your emotional state and confidence throughout this experience. Contact a DUI lawyer as soon as possible to help you through the difficult process.