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Alcohol Causing Wrecks

Alcohol-related traffic crashes may or may not necessarily be caused by alcohol. Many are, but no one knows the exact proportion.

There is overwhelming evidence that alcohol adversely affects driving-related skills such as vision, reaction time, judgment, and the ability to divide attention, and intoxication decreases driving performance. It is also clear that drinking drivers who crash are similar in many ways to sober drivers who crash. Both groups are disproportionately young, male, single, suffer from alcohol or drug problems, and are characterized by aggression, hostility or other "undesirable" attitudes and personality traits.

Drunk drivers don't become model drivers when sober. Even when completely sober, those who sometimes drive drunk are at high risk of being involved in traffic accidents. But there's every reason to believe that alcohol frequently contributes to crashes.

One technique that demonstrates this is called responsibility analysis. By examining multiple-vehicle crash reports without knowledge of drivers' blood alcohol concentrations (BACs), researchers estimate the degree to which each driver was responsible for his or her crash. In a sample of injured drivers in Monroe County, NY, it was estimated that 34-43% of sober drivers were responsible compared to 74-90% of intoxicated drivers (BAC of 0.10 or higher).

A large study of 1,882 fatally injured drivers in several states concluded that 68% of sober drivers and 94% of intoxicated drivers (0.10 BAC or higher) were responsible for their crashes. The responsibility rates were higher in this study, which included single vehicle crashes, largely because drivers in single vehicle crashes are almost always deemed responsible. Nevertheless, the pattern is the same: responsibility for accidents increases with intoxication.

How many drunk drivers would have had accidents if they were sober? Again, no one knows. But one expert, has identified three broad types of drinking drivers, for whom the answer probably differs:

"normal" drivers who are social drinkers. Such drivers may miscalculate the effects of alcohol on their performance. It's asserted that alcohol increases their crash risk and their crash rates would decrease substantially if they did not drive after drinking, "high-risk" drivers. These are frequent drinkers, for whom alcohol abuse "may be just another manifestation of risk-taking behavior or may enable this behavior by removing what inhibitions they have." Abstaining may not reduce their crash rates much, and alcoholics, for whom alcohol abuse is an integral part of life Abstaining would require a complete lifestyle change. If they abstained, their crash rates should drop significantly.

The three groups are affected differently by measures to limit drinking and driving. "Normal" drivers can be deterred by the legal consequences of arrest and sanction for impaired driving and also can be affected by education and prevention methods. Arguably, much of the reduction in alcohol-involved crashes may have come from changes in the behavior of this group. In contrast, alcoholics are unlikely to be affected by anything that does not deal directly with their alcoholism. Traffic safety can play an important role by screening DWI offenders for alcohol problems and assuring that they are referred to treatment as appropriate, but other traffic safety measures are unlikely to have much effect. "High-risk" drivers are perhaps the hardest group to affect. Deterrence, even arrest and punishment, may have little influence on their behavior. Some high-risk behavior is outgrown as drivers mature. However, since high-risk behavior is rooted so deeply in some drivers' personalities, any change requires measures for broader than those available to traffic safety.

Although it appears to be significant, the proportion of alcohol-involved traffic accidents that would have occurred even if the drivers had been sober remains unknown.

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Report Estimates that about 25% of Drivers In Some States Drove While Under the Influence of Alcohol in the Past Year

A Survey revealed that 6-7% of adults in several states drove while under the influence of illicit drugs at least once in the past year.

A first-of-its-kind national report reveals that 15.1 percent of the nation's drivers age 18 and older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. The report says that in some states the levels are much higher - about one in four drivers. According to the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nationwide, an estimated 30.5 million people aged 12 or older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year

Driving under the influence ranged from a low of 9.5 percent in Utah, to highs of 26.4 percent in Wisconsin, 24.9 percent in North Dakota and 23.5 percent in Minnesota.

State Estimates of Adults Driving under the Influence of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs is based on the combined data from the 2004 to 2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and provides state-level estimates for the pervasiveness of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of illicit drugs. These estimates are annual averages based on combined data collected from 127,283 current drivers surveyed in 2004, 2005 and 2006, the most recent data available.

The report also shows that nationwide nearly one in 20 adult drivers aged 18 or older drove under the influence of illicit drugs such as marijuana/hashish, cocaine/crack, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin or prescription drugs used nonmedically.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were almost 16,700 deaths in 2004 caused by accidents related to driving under the influence of alcohol. Overall, driving under the influence of alcohol and illicit drugs is among the leading sources of preventable death by injury in the United States.

"This report highlights the enormous public health risk posed by this problem - one threatening the lives of many Americans every day," said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. "By highlighting the scope and nature of this problem in each state we can help communities best use their efforts and resources to address this preventable menace."

The full report is available on the Web at http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/stateDUI/stateDUI.cfm

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Daily Death Toll from Drunk Driving Crashes Highest During Holiday Season

New federal traffic safety data shows that the daily death toll from drunk driving crashes during the Christmas and New Year's holiday periods is significantly more than for the rest of the year, announced U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters.

"If you've had too much holiday spirit you'd better find a safe and sober ride. Driving while drunk is not worth the risk," said Secretary Peters, noting that driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Secretary Peters explained that data released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that from 2001-2005, an average of 36 fatalities occurred per day on America's roadways as a result of crashes involving an alcohol impaired driver. That number increases to 45 per day during the Christmas period and jumps to 54 per day over the New Year's holiday, she added.

Thirty-eight percent of all traffic fatalities during the Christmas period occurred in crashes involving a drunk driver or motorcycle rider and 41 percent during the New Year's period, Peters said. This compares with 31 percent for the year as a whole.

As a result, Secretary Peters and NHTSA Administrator Nicole R. Nason announced an intensive nationwide crackdown on drunk drivers by law enforcement agencies that will continue through New Year's Eve. The "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." public awareness campaign is being supported by $7 million in national television and radio advertising.

"The consequences of driving drunk are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving drunk can be overwhelming," Administrator Nason said.

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STOCK ADVISE? BUY STOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE INTERLOCK DEVICES?

DUI/DWI Laws are politically charged. Every year with increased legislation, private companies flourish due to people who are convicted of drunk driving are forced to attend numerous classes, complete Alcohol and Drug schools, and outfit their vehicle with an ignition interlock device. This is a device that reads a driver's blood alcohol level. If that BAC is too high, the automobile will not start. Legislation is seeking to require these devices more often, including even for first time offenders. Many states are also crying out for uniform legislation seeking mandatory interlocks in every car registered within a given state. Car manufacturers have already begun to outfit concept cars with sensors that would detect any alcohol within the cabin. The United States Federal Government has even gone as far as to offer a ten million grant seeking the development of such intrusive devices. It is important to keep in mind that it is not illegal to have a drink and drive an automobile. It is only when an individual is unable to drive safely due to the alcohol, or is over the legal limit that a crime is committed. This legislation and lobbying seeks to criminalize otherwise legal behavior and further erodes our constitutional rights. On the other hand, this kind of legislation could save thousands of lives, and arguably is worth any rights we may forfeit. Whether you are in favor of it or not, the movement is here.  See the articel below for a study that was done on the device.

Call now to speak with an experienced DUI lawyer.  I am a Kansas and Missouri drunk driving attorney who is committed to zealous advocacy.

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Effectiveness of ignition interlock devices in reducing drunk driving recidivism.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , Pages 81 - 87

J . Coben , G . Larkin

Abstract

Objective: To determine if ignition interlock devices reduce driving while intoxicated (DWI) recidivism.

Search Strategies: Cochrane Collaboration search strategies were used.

Selection Criteria: Studies for selection examined the effectiveness of interlock programs in a defined population. Studies were required to have a clear description of the program and outcomes evaluated, to have a comparison group and to provide interpretable data.

Data Collection and Analysis: A total of 31 studies were found. Ten studies met the selection criteria. Three of these studies were eliminated from further analysis because they did not contain original data. A fourth study was eliminated due to methodologic weaknesses, leaving six studies for final review and analysis. Pooled analyses were not done because studies did not follow similar methods over comparable time periods.

Main Results: Five of the six studies found interlocks were effective in reducing DWI recidivism while the interlock was installed in the car. In the five studies demonstrating a significant effect, participants in the interlock programs were 15%-69% less likely than controls to be re-arrested for DWI. The only reported randomized, controlled trial demonstrated a 65% reduction in re-arrests for DWI in the interlock group, compared with the control group.

Conclusions: Alcohol ignition interlock programs appear to be effective in reducing DWI recidivism during the time period when the interlock is installed in the car. Future studies should attempt to control for exposure (i.e., number of miles driven) and determine if certain sub-groups are most benefited by interlock programs.