Archive for December, 2009

The number of accidents caused by drivers who were driving under the influence of alcohol has decreased. This is due by and large to the public awareness of the dangers of driving while being intoxicated. However, despite all the public awareness campaigns, educational programs and other drunk driving warnings, many people are still choosing to get behind the wheel of their vehicle while intoxicated. During weekends and holidays, drunk driving fatalities are on the rise. If you plan to drink, do not drive. Rather assign a designated driver or call a taxi or relative to pick you up. Play it Safe!

Ignoring the Warnings

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle wrecks are the leading cause of death in the United States; an alarming 40 percent or more are due to alcohol related. Law enforcement agencies across the nation are now issuing stiffer penalties to drunk driving violators, in the hope that this will deter people from driving while intoxicated.

How Dangerous is Drinking and Driving

You do not have to be totally drunk for your reflexes to be impaired. A buzz is all it takes to impair your reaction time. So to be safe rather than sorry, it is recommended that you don’t operate a vehicle while your driving is impaired. A driver with the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 or greater is more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident than a driver who has not consumed any alcohol. The higher the blood alcohol concentration level is, the greater the risk of being in a fatal motor vehicle accident.

Legal Level

A person with a blood alcohol level of .08 is considered to be legally intoxicated. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “A motor vehicle crash is considered to be alcohol-related if at least one driver or non-occupant (such as a pedestrian or pedal cyclist) involved in the crash is determined to have had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 gram per deciliter (g/dl) or higher.”


All 50 states and Puerto Rico have now implemented the two statutory offenses to driving while under the influence of alcohol. The first offense is driving under the influence (DUI), operating a motor vehicle while impaired or intoxicated (OWI), or driving while intoxicated or impaired (DWI). The outcome is determined by a police officer’s observations based on slurred speech, unusual driving behavior or the sobriety test.
The second statutory offense is called “illegal per se”. Illegal per se is driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher

A few facts about driving under the influence of alcohol

• The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports, in 2002 and 2003, 21 percent of persons aged 16 to 20 reported that they had driven in the past year while under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs.
• And in 2003, approximately 4 percent of persons who reported driving under the influence (DUI) in the past year had been arrested and booked for DUI in the past year.
• In 2004 approximately 17,000 people in the United States died of alcohol-related auto accidents.
• In the United States, around 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The likelihood of getting into a car accident increases with every sip of alcohol a driver consumes. Consuming any amount of alcohol will impair your driving and good judgment. Research shows that impairment begins long before a person reaches the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08. A person with a blood alcohol level of .08% is considered to be legally intoxicated.

When you are in the impaired state, you do not have the same reaction time and you tend to correct too far. An impaired person tends to exaggerate the response of the steering wheel, have a delay in reaction of the brake and gas pedals and losing total control of all reflexes due to being under the influence of alcohol.


If you get a DUI charge and/or conviction, your records will be altered. A DUI on your record can affect you life in many ways, even years after your conviction. Your DUI record is kept by law enforcement agencies and the department of motor vehicle. Access of your records can also be granted to several different parties such as insurance companies, colleges, military and employers which can cause devastating effects.

Drunk Driving – Alarming facts

• The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports, in 2002 and 2003, 21% persons aged 16 to 20 reported that they had driven in the past year while under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs.
• And in 2003, approximately 4% of persons who reported driving under the influence (DUI) in the past year had been arrested and booked for DUI in the past year.
• In 2004 approximately 17,000 people in the United States died of alcohol-related auto accidents.
• In the United States, around 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, that is about 1 in 135 drivers arrested for DUI.
• It is estimated that each year, alcohol-related crashes cost the United States about $51 billion.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 41,059 people died in traffic crashes in 2007 in the United States.
• In 2004, 30% of all fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-related, compared to 51% on weekends. For related crashes, the alcohol involvement rate was 5% during the week and 12% during the weekend. Alcohol-related crashes tend to be much more serious.
• 18-20 year olds are responsible for more than 10% of he drunken driving in the United States.
• About 80% of alcohol-related fatalities are caused by beer consumption.
• A DUI conviction will get you jail time, in addition to your insurance policy revoked and rate increase in your insurance policy. Many DUI are forced to get SR-22 insurance. SR-22 insurance policy is a certificate of insurance that shows the department proof of insurance, as required by law.
• Most of all holiday driving fatalities are alcohol-related.

DUI punishment – What you need to know

DUI punishments vary from state to state. Depending penalties are based on your prior driving record and the specific nature of your case. Some of the most common DUI penalties are:

• A lengthy prison sentence
• Seizure of your vehicle
• Increase in auto insurance rates or even denial of insurance coverage.
• Loss of driver’s license
• Community service
• Probation

DUIs are common among the rich and famous. Despite several attempts by the authorities to educate these individuals on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, many still do not abide by the recommendations and end up on the wrong side of the law. This negative exposure sometimes has detrimental consequences on their careers as often these individuals are the corporate faces of many high status corporations.

AJ Allmendinger gets busted!

One of the latest victims if a drunk driving conviction is NASCAR driver A J Allmendinger. AJ was placed on probation following his arrest on suspicion of driving while being drunk. This occurred in the town of Mooresville, near San Diego, after having dinner and some drinks with friends. According to police reports, the arresting officer noticed inconsistent patterns on the driving by the suspect. Upon request of a field sobriety test , Allmendinger was found to be over the accepted limits for blood alcohol content within San Diego county. He was subsequently arrested and charged, given 30 days probation and is due for court appearance on December 18.

AJ Allmendinger’s camp apologizes

Although issuing a statement that he was feeling fine at the time of his arrest, AJ later issues a second statement that he made a mistake in the consumption of alcohol beyond the allowable limits and he was sorry for his irresponsible behavior given that he drives for a living. His camp also issued a statement of apology to all their fans and sponsors for the embarrassment that this incident has caused. Team co-owner said in a personal statement that he too was deeply disappointed in what has happened and that AJ will work to make it right. He went on to say that AJ was still in the long-term plans of the team.

Who is AJ Allmendinger?

AJ Allmendinger has been a prominent member of the No. 44 Richard Petty racing team. His exploits on the track have seen him been promoted to drive the highly rated No. 43 car for next season and take his car sponsor, Best Buy, with him.

Repercussions of AJ Allmendinger DUI

Although the team co-owner apologized and expressed confidence in AJ’s ability as a driver, it is not certain if this incident will affect his move next year to the No. 43 car. It is widely knows that the Petty family enterprise and owners of AJ’s team are firmly against the alcohol abuse and its use. This is solidified by their refusal to receive sponsorship for alcohol-producing companies. There has also been no word yet from car sponsor Best Buy on the situation.

AJ Allmendinger gives DUI Advice

AJ noted in his statement on his DUI that if there is any good arising from his DUI arrest, it is that it will set an example to others to be more responsible and aware when drinking even if you may think you feel fine. He further suggested that its best to call a cab or ask a friend to drive you home even if you are not drunk; bottom line, just don’t take the risk. He said he would do his best to learn from the experience use his experience to educate others.