Counteracting the Dangers of Impaired Driving
One life every 45 minutes or nearly 32 people die every day in vehicle crashes caused by impaired-driving. In 2008 alone, nearly 11,773 people have died in impaired-driving incidents, making up for about one-third or 32 per cent of all fatalities in traffic-related accidents across the country.
Statistics from federal agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council (NSC) have shown the potential risks that impaired driving may caused on both motorists and pedestrians.
Impaired Driving
Under state and federal laws, the following conditions constitute impaired driving:.
- When the driver is affected by alcohol, which means he/she has exceeded the limit of allowed blood alcohol content (BAC)
- When the driver is affected by drugs, whether illegal or prescribed
- When a driver is fatigue or too sleepy
- Distracted, such as using a cell phone or texting
- Having a medical condition that can affect driving
Potential Victims of Impaired Driving
Based on several studies conducted by these federal agencies, some people are potentially at greater risk as victims of impaired driving. These include the following:
- Young people – Persons between the age of 21 and 24 with BAC levels of 0.08 per cent or higher were mostly involved in fatal crashes, which means younger drivers have greater risks of being involved in a crash than older drivers.
- Motorcyclists – Approximately 30 percent of motorcyclists killed in fatal crashes have 0.08 percent or greater and nearly half of these fatalities are 40 or older.
- Drivers with prior convictions - Studies also show that drivers who have been previously convicted for driving while impaired (DWI) are eight times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes.
Prevention
Federal agencies and other organizations have created and imposed certain measures to prevent death and injuries from impaired driving. These measures include the following:
- Conducting sobriety checkpoints
- Aggressive enforcement of laws such as BAC laws, minimum legal drinking age laws, zero tolerance laws for drivers younger than 21, cell phone law and texting ban laws, among others.
- Revocation of driving licenses of people who drive while intoxicated
- Using multi-faceted approaches to control and prevent DWI
- Mandatory evaluation and treatment for DWI offenders
In addition to these measures, safety advocates also suggest other ways to battle impaired driving:
- In crashes that result in injury, they recommend compulsory blood alcohol testing
- Increasing state and federal alcohol excise taxes
- Reducing the legal BAC limit from 0.08 to 0.05 per cent
- Recommend ignition interlock programs including breath analyzers
- Undergo training for responsible beverage service and limiting access to alcohol for offenders
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