There’s no question about it — Americans know it’s dangerous to drive under the influence of alcohol. As a matter of fact, 97 percent of Americans agree. And 75 percent of Americans say that the country needs tougher and more severe penalties to fight the risks of intoxicated drivers.
With that being said, how is it that someone is killed in the U.S. in an alcohol-related traffic accident every 30 minutes and someone is injured every 2 minutes? According to the National Safety Council (NSC), national and state organizations are rallying around several specific and effective strategies, and targeting certain populations of drivers, to improve safety for innocent motorists.
Our drunk driving accident lawyers understand that there were close to 34,000 DUI convictions in Florida in 2011. There were also more than 700 people killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in the Sunshine State that year, according to The Century Council. When it’s all tallied up, close to 30 percent of all traffic fatalities recorded in the state in 2011 were the result of alcohol-related accidents.
Three of the most common suggestions from safe driving advocates to help to decrease the risks of these accidents are Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI),Sobriety Checkpoints and Ignition Interlocks.
Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI):
This is effect at reducing the risks of dangerous drinking and other alcohol-related problems. Employers can provide SBI through Employee Assistance Programs and other health benefits. Problem drinking is when someone uses alcohol in a way that can be harmful to them or others. It can cause serious health problems, diseases and even injury. According to various studies, this action is the most cost-effective way to reduce the risks of risky drinking.
Sobriety Checkpoints:
This theory adds to the public perception of an increase likelihood of being busted for drinking and driving. It has been proven as an effective deterrent. It can actually reduce the occurrences of drinking and driving by about 20 percent, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The correlation between BAC and prior traffic accidents is evident by the variation in recidivism within each BAC level, corresponding to offenders with 0 to 5+ traffic convictions. Notice that individuals with a specific BAC level at arrest can have widely varying probabilities of recidivism, depending on the number of prior traffic convictions. Second offenders were 25 percent more likely to re-offend in this model than were first offenders.
Ignition Interlocks:
Those who have already been convicted of drunk driving play a significant role in accidents and arrests. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the 1.5 million impaired driving arrests each year, close to 35 percent involve repeat offenders. Officials believe that it’s this population that required a specialized prevention strategy. In the state of Florida, certain drivers are required to have an ignition interlock device on their vehicle.
A conviction for alcohol-impaired driving traditionally results in a license suspension or revocation as well as other sanctions ordered by the judiciary. Because states consider driving a privilege and not a right, as a condition of licensure, a person is presumed to consent to chemical testing upon arrest for alcohol-impaired driving.
Call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, if you or a loved one has been injured in a drunk driving accident. Call today for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. 1-800-283-2900.
More Blog Entries:
MADD Efforts Paying Off — Much Work Left to be Done to Combat Teen Drunk Driving Accidents, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, November 13, 2013
$ Cost of Florida DUI Reaching Thousands $, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, July 2, 2013