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