Posts Tagged ‘BAC’

Drinking and driving is one of the world’s most dangerous combinations. Some commentators liken drunk driving unto a driving accident just looking for somewhere to occur. As results, administrations of various countries have adapted various measures and rules in an attempt to stem the scourge of drunk driving. Now, these laws are affected by various issues such as culture, religion and the level of drunk driving. As a result, some of the laws adapted will vary from country to another with some even being unbelievable.

United States: The United States have one of the highest rates of drunk driving related accidents and deaths in the world. Each state have their own law based in the severity of the drunk driving cases. However, as a rule, most states will charge a driver once their blood alcohol content exceeds 0.08. Where it becomes unbelievable is when some states reduce this level to 0.05 and even charge drivers for DWI if they are found with open containers in their vehicle. These offenses can lead to jail time, suspension or loss of their license.

Australia:

In Australia, the upper level for blood alcohol content is 0.05. This is reduced to 0.02 for new drivers and individuals who have only a learner’s permit. As usual, punishment for DWI in Australia comes in the form of fines, suspension of license or jail time. When it becomes strange is the law also imposes compulsory medical assessment of drivers before their driver’s license can be reinstated.

In most European countries, drunk driving is punishable by fines, suspension of license or jail time.

France:

In France, DWI offenders get a fine equivalent of $1000, loss or suspension of their license for three years of at least one-year imprisonment.

Norway:

Norway adopts a more stringent approach where drunk drivers are automatically jailed for three weeks at hard labor coupled with a license suspension for one year. If the repeat the offence they repeat the offence, then they lose their license forever.

Russia:

Now many may be surprised that they have laws for DWI in Russia based on Russians long love affair with alcohol. Russia has one of the highest consumption rates of whiskey and vodka worldwide. However, if you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, you simply lose your driving license for life. Even upon the first offence.

Saudi Arabia:

Other countries have even gone even further in their DWI laws. In Saudi Arabia, DWI offences are punishable by lashes in the public square.
South Africa imposes fine equivalent of $10,000, a ten-year prison sentence or both combined depending on the severity of the case.

Turkey:

In Turkey, DWI offenders are taken twenty miles from their town and then told to walk back while escorted by the police.

El Salvador and Bulgaria:

Countries such as El Salvador and Bulgaria have gone to the extreme in punishing drunk drivers. In El Salvador, first time DWI offenders are carted off and executed by a firing squad. In Bulgaria, at least they are a little more lenient, as DWI offenders are only executed after they have committed their second DWI offence.

Since 2007, the life of Brook Muller, one of Hollywood’s most prominent real estate investor has been nothing but mishaps and bad experiences. As many of critics of her marriage had predicted, her life since then have taken the same trend of those other women who had been involved with her husband Charlie Sheen. Since then, Brook Mueller has racked up charges of abuse, DUI and cocaine possession all that has not done anything to help her reputation. In addition, she also had to check in to rehab for alcohol abuse while pregnant with twins.

Brook Mueller Checkered Pass

Not all persons were surprised with Brook Mueller’s run-ins with the law. Those who knew her during her younger years would know of past charges laid against her. The Christmas day arrest of her husband Charlie Sheen after he allegedly threatened her with a knife exposed that she also had a rap sheet dating back to 1996. In fact, the rap sheet showed charges of cocaine possession, drunk driving and property damage. Subsequently all charges were dropped.

Brook Mueller DUI

Brook Mueller was pulled over after she had damaged a road sign while driving her 1996 Chevy Corsica with three other friends in Palm Beach County. After checking on the status of the passengers who were all in good condition, the office instructed the occupants to step out of the damaged car. He stated then he noticed that the driver who was later identified as Brook Mueller almost fell down while trying to catch her balance while standing. He further noted that she had to use the car door as a support just to answer the simple questions he asked her. She had no recollection of hitting the street sign so he asked her to submit to a series of sobriety test. Of the six tests he gave her, she only passed one. As a result, she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. While at the Palm Beach County jail she admitted to officers that she had been drinking wine combined with Vicodin and had previously used marijuana and cocaine.

Brook Mueller Cocaine Charges

Fast forward to 2001, Brook Mueller had another brush with the law. This time she was arrested for cocaine possession while in Florida. She was released on bail bond of $5000. However, the case was ultimately dropped after test showed that she had no drugs present in her system.

Brook Mueller Christmas Day Spat

On Christmas Day December 2009, the police received a 911 call from a woman who was later identified as Brook Mueller stating that she was being attacked by her knife-wielding husband. This resulted in her husband Charlie Sheen spending a part of Christmas Day in jail after his arrest in the ski resort town in Colorado.


However, during an interview supported by subsequent tests by police officers, Brook Mueller stated that she was drunk. However, the test actually showed her blood alcohol content of 0.13. She however recanted her admission of being drunk when she made the call.

How does R-U-Buzzed Works

R-U-Buzzed is the brainchild of the Colorado Department of transportation. This brilliant idea was born out of a need to bring down the spate of road fatalities because of drunk driving. R-U-Buzzed is available from your Apps store free of cost for users of the iPhone to download it to their iPhone.

R-U-Buzzed does not give a scientific evaluation of you blood alcohol content level, but uses general information created from various accident records, medical advice and plain ingenuity to come up with an average blood alcohol content. The intention of the program is only to act as a guide for drinkers and in the end save lives.

Is R-U-Buzzed Worth it?

When the Colorado Department of Transport met for their regular meetings to devise ways of reducing road fatalities due to alcohol consumption, they decided to develop something that can connect with the new generation of drivers who were now making up the bulk of road fatalities. They contacted a marketing company who helped them to come up with the idea of R-U-Buzzed. They quickly dispatched the $8000 needed to develop the program. Since its launch on the Apps store, the application has been downloaded over 40,000 times with a spike around public holidays. Since then they have added updates that calls a cab for drunken patrons and utilize the GPS application of the iPhone to indicate their location to the cab service. As a result, the Road traffic department has been tapping itself on its back for the success of the application. It however must be noted that all users of the application must agree to a disclaimer that the results are not scientifically proven.

R-U-Buzzed Critics

Several skeptics and critics of the application have raised concern about abuse of the R-U-Buzzed application. They base their concern on stories of teens constantly drinking and testing to find their drinking limit. Owing to the fact that the findings are not scientifically supported this can be dangerous. In addition, the application only displays information based on what is imputed. Therefore, this exposes it to those who want to fool themselves about their condition.