You may have noticed that the annual end-of-summer crackdown against drunk drivers is already in full swing. For the past two weeks, law enforcement agencies across the country have set up safety checkpoints in their local jurisdictions to help get drivers who are under the influence off the roads as Labor Day approaches.Each day these efforts have produced headlines that report,"27 Arrested in Weekend Crackdown" or "Checkpoints Net 18 DUI Arrests."
They are not out there to spoil your holiday fun. They are not there to get you in trouble with the law. They don't want to fine you or put you in jail.
They are out there to save lives.
17 Million Drunk Drivers
The nationwide crackdown down on driving under the influence is part of a campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The efforts of local law enforcement agencies is coupled with a $13 million nationwide advertising campaign called, "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest."
This year in connection with the annual Labor Day drunk driving campaign, NHTSA released a survey that revealed just how dangerous the highways can be. The survey of 6,999 drivers indicated that one in every five drivers admitted to drinking within two hours of drinking in the past year.
That means on any given day there could be more than 17 million drunk drivers on the road. More than 11,773 were killed in 2008 in alcohol-related traffic mishaps. That's down from 13,041 in 2007, but it is still far too many needless and preventable deaths.
Drunk Driving Is Dangerous
Driving after you have had anything to drink it simply too dangerous. Even if you are not legally intoxicated, your reaction times and driving skills can be impaired after even one alcoholic drink.
If you have had enough to drink to make you legally intoxicated - a blood-alcohol level of 0.80 in all 50 states - your chances of being involved in an accident increases exponentially.
If you are arrested for driving while intoxicated, you will find that the consequences are a lot more significant that you may remember them. It's not just a matter of going to court and paying a fine. You will lose your driving privileges until you complete a long list of requirements that can include an evaluation of your alcohol consumption, an alcohol educational program, possible treatment for your alcohol problem, an increase in your auto insurance rates for years, and in a growing number of states the installation of an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.
Society has decided that it has had enough of drunk driving, reflected in the increase in penalties for driving under the influence in every state in the nation.
"Our message is loud and clear," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland in a press release. "If you drive drunk, you will be arrested and prosecuted. There will be no exceptions and no excuses. And if you're below the age of 21, there is zero tolerance for any alcohol in your system whatsoever. That's why we're out there with law enforcement, tackling this major safety issue head on."
More About Drunk Driving:
Photo: BigStockPhoto.com