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Posted at 18:06h in Addiction Treatment

To this day, drunk driving contributes significantly to the number of injuries and deaths related to alcohol. In the US alone, drunk drivers are involved in car crashes that kill 28 people every day. Drunk driving-related accidents also cost Americans tens of billions of dollars every year.

It doesn't matter if the accident is caused by a first offense DUI driver or a repeat DUI offender. The cost of drunk driving will always be high, especially if you factor in the physical, psychological, and emotional toll of drunk driving accidents on their survivors, who will have to deal with both literal and figurative scars for as long as they live.

Physical effects of drunk driving accidents

Surviving a car crash can sometimes be attributed to pure luck, but that only applies to those who got away unscathed or at least only sustained a few minor bruises or scratches. For many drunk driving car crash survivors, the extent of their injuries would hardly make them feel lucky.

We have heard of cases of car crash survivors suffering traumatic brain injuries and being unable to talk or even eat on their own years after the accident. Some can't walk anymore, while some suffer tremendous pain on a daily basis, sometimes for the rest of their lives. That's not to mention those who have lost limbs or sustained burns in the accident.

While people can sustain injuries to any part of their body in a car accident, the most vulnerable parts are often the legs and knees, the chest, the spine, and the head and neck. Significant injuries to these areas often take years to heal, if at all.

Psychological effects of drunk driving crashes

People who survive drunk driving crashes are prone to developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental health problem that affects 5 million adults in the US every year.

For drunk driving crash survivors with PTSD, experiencing flashbacks of the accident is quite common. More often than not, things like riding or driving a car, seeing images of car crashes, or simply reading about similar incidents trigger these flashbacks.

Aside from flashbacks, PTSD symptoms include nightmares, emotional numbness, difficulty sleeping, concentration issues, jumpiness, irritability, and being angered easily. They also tend to avoid places, people, and activities that remind them of the accident.

Emotional effects of drunk driving mishaps

It's typical for drunk driving accident survivors to feel anger, especially if a close friend or relative died in that crash. It's also possible for them to be consumed by violent thoughts and sometimes thinking about acting on them. They might also resort to doing things that are out of character.

People who survive alcohol-related car crashes may also go through the seven stages of grief, especially when someone they know died. On top of the grieving, they may also feel isolated, unmotivated, and they often avoid the company of people. It's also common for them to experience poor appetite as well. And if the survivor is the drunk driver who caused the deadly crash, he or she will likely be ridden with heavy guilt for many years to come.

These are just some of the physical, psychological, and emotional effects of drunk driving accidents. Indeed, the toll drunk driving takes on people's lives is quite substantial. It's just a good thing that there are treatments and therapies available today that can help survivors get through their trauma. While the entire process might be an uphill climb for many, professional treatment of the physical, psychological, and emotional effects of drunk driving car crashes presents a glimmer of hope that these effects can be overcome over time.

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Physical, Psychological, and Emotional Effects of Drunk Driving Accidents

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Posted at 18:06h in Addiction Treatment To this day, drunk driving contributes significantly to the number of injuries and deaths related to alcohol. In the US alone, drunk drivers are involved in car crashes that kill 28 people every day. Drunk driving-related accidents also cost Americans tens of billions of dollars every year.

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What Is Drinking And Driving (DUI)?

Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle - car, truck, motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle - after consuming alcohol is a serious crime. Drinking and driving is sometimes called driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), and involves operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of at least 0.08%. However, even a small amount of alcohol can lead to harmful situations. Some drivers may not even show warning signs of being under the influence, but that doesn't mean it's any less dangerous. It's important to remember that any form of drinking and driving is illegal and can come with strict punishment.

The largest group at risk for drinking and driving are those who binge drink or are struggling with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This means they consume a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time, putting them at risk for harmful side effects. It takes roughly 30 minutes to two hours for alcohol to be absorbed into your bloodstream. During this time, your breathing may slow down and your cognitive skills may be delayed. Because of this, it is always dangerous to drink and drive.

Alcoholism is a condition that can be treated with the help of a specialized treatment center. If you or someone you love is struggling with a drinking problem, it's time to seek help and get your life back on track. Call a treatment provider to find rehab facilities nearby.

Dangers Of Drinking And Driving

Any amount of alcohol in your bloodstream can impact your driving ability. The effects of alcohol abuse vary greatly, putting you at risk for causing an accident or highway injury. Safe driving requires the ability to concentrate, make good judgements and quickly react to situations. However, alcohol affects these skills, putting yourself and others in danger.

Here are several ways alcohol impairs your driving skills:

Slow Reaction Time

When alcohol is in your system, it affects how quickly you're able to respond to different situations. Drinking slows your response time, which can increase the likelihood of an accident. Therefore, if the car in front of you brakes suddenly or a pedestrian crosses the street, it will take longer for your brain to process the situation and prevent an accident.

Lack Of Coordination

Heavy drinking affects your motor skills such as eye, hand and foot coordination. Without crucial coordination skills, you may be unable to avoid an impending harmful situation. Some telltale signs of reduced coordination include trouble walking, swaying and inability to stand straight. Too much alcohol can even make it difficult to get in your car and find its ignition.

Reduce Concentration

Alcohol, no matter how much or how little, can influence your concentration. With driving, there are many things that require your undivided concentration such as staying in your lane, your speed, other cars on the road and traffic signals. Your attention span is dramatically reduced with drinking, which significantly increases the chance of an accident.

Decrease Vision

Excessive alcohol consumption can negatively impact your vision. After drinking, you may notice that your vision is blurred or that you're unable to control your eye movement. Impaired vision can affect how you judge the distance between your car and other vehicles on the road. Additionally, fewer objects may be visible within your peripheral vision, or what you can see to either side of you when looking straight ahead.

Inhibit Judgment

Your brain controls how you judge certain circumstances. When operating a motorized vehicle, your judgement skills play an important role in how you make decisions. For instance, you need to be able to foresee potential problems and make clear decisions if another vehicle cuts you off. Your judgement helps you stay alert and aware of surrounding conditions while driving.

Drunk Driving Statistics

In the United States, roughly 28 people die every day in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. In 2020, 11,654 Americans were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Alcohol-related accidents accounted for nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths. More than 1.1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics in 2014.

How Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Levels Affect Driving

A blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08% is considered legally impaired. However, alcohol can start to affect many of your senses after only one drink. No matter the circumstances, you should never drink and drive. It's not worth the risk of putting yourself and others in danger.

Here's an example of how your BAC level affects your driving:

BAC of 0.02

Lack of judgment, increased relaxation, slightly increased body temperature, mood swings, decreased visual functionality, inability to multi-task

BAC of 0.05

Increased lack of judgment, exaggerated behavior, lack of coordination, reduced ability to detect moving objects, lack of alertness, lack of inhibitions, decreased small-muscle control, reduced response rate

BAC of 0.08

Reduced muscle coordination, lack of judgment, lack of reasoning, lack of self-control, loss of short-term memory, reduced ability to concentrate, lack of speed control, reduced ability to process information

BAC of 0.10

Poor coordination, slowed reaction times, reduced ability to control the vehicle, reduced ability to keep vehicle within a lane and brake at appropriate times, slurred speech

BAC of 0.15

Extreme loss of balance, nearly zero muscle control, vomiting, impaired visual and auditory information processing, significantly reduced attention to driving tasks

Additionally, fatal crashes involving a 0.08% BAC level or higher are charged as alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. Even though alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate has been reportedly decreasing, motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol cost the United States roughly $44 billion each year.

The economic costs of these crashes include:

Lost productivity

Workplace losses

Legal expenses

Medical costs

Emergency medical services

Insurance administration

Congestion

Property damage

Who Is Most At Risk?

Alcohol consumption can put anyone at risk of causing an accident or other serious injury. However, some populations are more likely to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking.

Drivers who are between the ages of 16 and 20 years old are 10 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash, than drivers over the age of 21. While the number of underage drinking and driving cases has significantly decreased, many communities are pushing out new initiatives to keep adolescents safe. In 2011 alone, close to one million high school teens admitted to drinking and driving.

The second highest alcohol-related crash risk includes individuals between the ages of 21 to 24. In recent years, 21 to 24 year olds had the highest percentage of drivers in fatal crashes with a BAC level of 0.08% or higher - 32%. Many of these cases involved binge drinking, a form of consuming too much alcohol in a short period of time. This often affects college students and young professionals who attend parties and other social events that have easy access to alcohol.

Drinking And Driving Laws

Federal regulation constitutes a DWI as driving with a BAC level of 0.08% or higher. A motor vehicle may include car, truck, bicycle, golf cart, snowmobile and jet skis. Each state has its own laws surrounding DWI convictions such as the fines involved, jail time and possible revoked or suspended license. Depending on the legal charges, some states may also require community service time or alcoholism treatment.

Many states have enacted various laws in an effort to reduce the dangers of drinking and driving. For instance, zero tolerance laws are aimed at adolescents who get behind the wheel of a car after consuming alcohol. Drinking under the age of 21 is illegal in the United States and comes with strict punishment. If you are charged with underage drinking and operating a motor vehicle, you could face severe legal penalties.

A DWI or DUI conviction can impact your life in a number of ways. Consequences of drinking and driving can hurt your family and relationships, cost you employment opportunities, cause financial difficulties, high insurance rates and possible time in jail.

Don't Let Alcoholism Destroy Your Life

Learn about the risk factors of alcoholism and the different forms of treatment available.

For more information about alcohol treatment, speak with a treatment provider today.

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Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle - car, truck, motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle - after consuming alcohol is a serious crime. Drinking and driving is sometimes called driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), and involves operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of at least 0.08%.

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Drinking and driving while either impaired or drunk is dangerous. Drivers with high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are at much greater risk of traffic crashes. This means more injuries and deaths.

1. The Problem

2. Facts

3. Possible Preventions

4. Protect Yourself

5. Protect Others

6. Often Overlooked

7. Resources

I. The Problem: Drinking and Driving

Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is preventable. In fact, the proportion of alcohol-impaired driving crashes has dropped greatly over time.

But there are still far too many such crashes. So in spite of great progress, alcohol-impaired drinking and driving remains a serious problem. It tragically effects many victims and their families annually.

It's all too easy to forget that statistics refer to real flesh and blood people. Therefore, this page is dedicated to a grandfather and his three grandchildren. They were all killed by a drunk driver. Family and friends deeply mourn their tragic death.

II. Facts about Drinking and Driving.

Most drivers who have had something to drink have a low BAC. Yet few have fatal crashes. Only a few drivers have BACs higher than 0.15.

However, the risk of death from drinking and driving escalates with BAC. And it does so greatly. Over two-thirds of alcohol-related traffic deaths involve a driver with a BAC over 0.15. ¹

High BAC drivers are more likely to be male and aged 25-35. Also, they often have a history of DWI convictions and drug abuse.

III. Possible Prevention

Possible prevention measures include these, among many others.

DWI courts.

License suspension or revocation.

License plate confiscation.

Vehicles impoundment.

Open container bans.

Increased penalties for drunk driving.

Required alcohol education.

Enforcement of seat belt laws.

Expanded use of Designated Drivers.

Solutions for Reducing Drinking and Driving.

Alcohol-impaired drinking and driving resists simple solutions. However, there are a number of actions that could contribute to reducing the problem.

DWI courts are effective in reducing drinking and driving while intoxicated. They work with hard-core repeat offenders. They do so by treating alcohol addiction. The recidivism or failure rate of DWI and DUI courts is very low.

The single most effective measure to reduce drunk driving is automatic license revocation.²

Automatic license revocation along with required jail appears to be even more effective.³

Confiscating license plates.⁴

Requiring ignition interlock devices. They prevent persons with alcohol on their breath from starting a vehicle.⁵

Vehicle impoundment.⁶

Expanding alcohol server training programs.⁷

Using social norms programs. They correct the false belief that most people sometimes drive under the influence of alcohol.⁸

Requiring alcohol testing in fatal crashes. That would help the prosecution of drunk drivers.⁹

Improved roads

Technological improvements include raised lane markers, which are easier to see. They also make a startling sound when a tire wanders over them. Similarly, corrugations along the edges of roads make a sound when driven over. This alerts inattentive drivers.

Other cost-effective improvements can save lives. They include wider roads, improved street and highway lighting and break-away sign posts.

Improved Vehicles

Improvements in vehicles include brake lights at eye level, door crash bars, and many new computer-assisted features. The latter appear very promising.

Promising but Inadequately Evaluated Measures.

Distinctive license plate marking for an alcohol offense.¹⁰

Bans on open containers in vehicles.¹¹ (Not all states have these.)¹²

Tiered penalties based on BAC level.¹³ This is usual for speeding.

Restricted nighttime driving by young people. This appears to be effective in those states with such restrictions.¹⁴

Electronically monitoring of repeat DWI offenders.¹⁵

Involve drivers in reporting drunk drivers. They can dial 911 on their cell phones. See Help Police Stop Drunken Drivers.

Educate prospective drivers on alcohol and driving. Then test knowledge on driver's exams.

We need to evaluate all of these very promising measures. This would determine their effectiveness.

Measures of Little or No Value.

Jail or prison sentences for alcohol offenses. This is a popular policy. However, it's of little value in deterring high BAC drivers.¹⁶ In short, it appears that we can't "jail our way out of the problem."17

The perception of swift and certain punishment is more important than severity.¹⁸ Large fines appear to have little deterrent effect.¹⁹

Increasing the cost of alcohol would have virtually no impact on reducing drunk driving.²⁰ Both research and common sense suggest this. Cost doesn't deter heavy drinkers. And most minors don't buy their drinks.

IV. Protect Yourself

Society has done much to improve highway safety. However, you can do much to protect yourself.

Don't drive if alcohol-impaired. It'd dangerous and illegal. And also don't ride with anyone who has too much to drink. Remember, drunk drivers usually kill themselves and their passengers.

Serve as a Designated Driver.

Always use a safety seat belt.

Use four-lane highways whenever possible.

Avoid rural roads.

Avoid travel after midnight. Especially on Fridays and Saturdays.

Drive defensively.

Buy safe vehicles. Refer to safety ratings before buying your next vehicle.

Never use illegal drugs. They cause a large proportion of traffic fatalities.

Never drive when fatigued. The dangers are similar to intoxication. A drunk or fatigued driver has slowed reactions and impaired judgment. And a driver who nods off at the wheel has no reactions and no judgment!

Don't use a cell phone, apply make-up, comb your hair, or eat while driving. Drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to have an accident than other drivers.

Steer clear of aggressive drivers. Aggressive drivers may be responsible for more deaths than drunk drivers.

If You Must Drive after Drinking, Stay Completely Sober.

Standard drinks of beer, wine, and spirit have the same amount of pure alcohol. A breathalyzer can't tell the difference.

Eat while drinking. This helps keep your BAC down.

Sip your drinks slowly.

Don't play drinking games.

Have a non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic ones.

Pace your drinks. A general rule of thumb is no more than one alcoholic drink per hour.

Accept an alcoholic drink only when it fits your consumption schedule.

Stick with standard drink sizes. That makes it easier to keep track of your intake of pure alcohol.

Follow medical advice about drinking with any medications you'e taking.

IV. Protect Others.

Serve as a Designated Driver.

Never condone heavy drinking. It's dangerous.

Don't ever let your friends drive drunk. Do whatever is necessary. Just don't let them drive!

Be a responsible host.

Create a setting conducive to easy, comfortable socializing. One that discourages heavy drinking.

Serve food before beginning to serve alcoholic drinks.

Have a responsible bartender or server who doesn't push alcoholic drinks

Don't have an "open bar." A responsible person needs to supervise consumption to ensure that no one drinks too much. You have both a moral and a legal responsibility to make sure that none of your guests drink too much.

Pace alcoholic drinks. Serve them at regular intervals. Once an hour is a good guideline.

Push snacks. Make sure that people are eating.

Offer attractive non-alcohol drinks.

Respect anyone's choice not to drink. Their reason is their business.

Decide when you want the gathering to end. Stop serving alcohol well before that time. Then begin serving coffee along with substantial snacks. This provides non-drinking time before your guests leave.

Assert Yourself if Necessary

Don't let anyone drive after the gathering if you think they seem impaired. Think ahead. Have another guest take them home. Call a taxi. Ask them to stay the night. But don't let them drive if they seem impaired. That's your legal and moral obligation.

The Good News

We can do it! While we must do even more to reduce drunk driving, we have already accomplished a great deal.

The number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities per 100,000 population has dropped over two-thirds since 1982. Other measures of the problem are similar. So we're clearly winning the battle against alcohol-related traffic deaths.

But we can and must do even better.

Remember, never drive if you, or anyone else, thinks that you may have had too much to drink. And don't let anyone else. That includes reporting drivers who appear drunk. It's always safest not to drink and drive. Use a Designated Driver.

VI. Often Overlooked

Often overlooked traffic safety problems include drugged driving and distracted driving.
After Drunk Driving....
Technology may soon virtually eliminate drunk driving. But testing for drug use by drivers is very difficult. And solving the distracted driving problem seems far in the future.

Let's start working on them now!

People know the dangers of drinking and driving. But there are two other serious traffic safety problems. Drugged driving is one. Distracted driving is the other. These may account for even more fatalities that drunk driving.

MADD founder Candace (Candy) Lightner formed We Save Lives. It focuses on all of the three Ds: Drunk, Drugged, and D istracted driving.

Drugged Driving.

Studies have looked at drivers stopped for erratic driving, involved in a crash, or killed in a crash. Over one-third had at least one drug in their bodies. Many were under the influence of both drugs and alcohol. ²¹

Surveys report a large increase in drugged drivers over a seven year period. (Those with alcohol in their blood dropped by almost one-third during the period.) ²²

Distracted Driving.

At any moment during daylight, about 660,000 drivers in the U.S. are using an electronic device. A total of 421,000 people in a recent year were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Thousands died. ²³ And the problem continues to get worse.

VII. Resources

Popular Resources

Films Human Sci. Drinking and Driving. A Crash Course. eVideo. NY: Films Media, 2015.

Goodman, K. and Simon, K. Safe Road Home. Stop Your Teen from Drinking & Driving. NY: Sterling, 2005.

Kiesbye, S. Distracted Driving. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2012.

Kiesbye, S. Drunk Driving. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2011.

Mendralla, V. and Grosshandler, J. Drinking and Driving, Now What? NY: Rosen, 2012. Juv.

Van Tuyl, C. Drunk Driving. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2006.

References

1. Natl Highway Traff Safe Ad (NHTSA) Impaired Driving. 2016.

2. Nichols, J. and Ross, H. The effectiveness of legal sanctions in dealing with drinking drivers. NCJ 131534.

3. Nichols and Ross, ibid.

4. Cent Disease Control Prev. License Plate Impoundment.

5. Elder, R.W., et al. Effectiveness of ignition interlocks. Am J Prev Med, 2011, 40(3), 362'"376

6. NHTSA. Evaluation Of Vehicle Impoundment.

7. Holder, H. and Wagenaar, A. Mandated server training. Accid Anal Prev, 1994, 26(1), 89-97.

8. Pribble, J., et al. A social norms strategy to reduce impaired driving. Ann Emerg Med, 2006, 48(6), 739.

9. Brady, J., et al. Effectiveness of mandatory alcohol testing programs. Am J Epid, 2009, 170(6), 775-82.

10. NHTSA. Vehicle and License Plate Sanctions. DOT HS 810 880. 2018.

11. Cathey, J. The Effects of Alcohol Regulation and Legislation. U. Tenn, 2009.

12. Nat. Conf. State Legislators. Open Container and Open Consumption of Alcohol State Statutes. Washington: NCSL, 2013.

13. Voas, R. and Fisher, D. Court Procedures for Handling Intoxicated Drivers.

14. Monash U. Night Driving Restriction Reduces Young Driver Crashes. 2015.

15. Voas, R. and Fisher, D., ibid.

16. Homel, R. Policing and Punishing the Drinking Driver.

17. Ross, H. and Klette, H. Abandonment of mandatory jail for impaired drivers in Norway and Sweden. Accid Analy Prev, 1995, 27(2), 151-157.

18. Joksch. H. The Impact of Severe Penalties on Drunk Driving. Washington: AAA Found for Traff Safe, 1988.

19. Ross, H. Drunk Driving. New Haven: Yale U Press, 1992.

20. Hanson, D. Preventing Alcohol Abuse.

21. NIDA. Drugged Driving

22. NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. DOT 812 118, 2015.

23. StopDistractions.org.

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Drinking and driving is a serious problem. Discover how to reduce it.

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Drinking and driving while either impaired or drunk is dangerous. Drivers with high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are at much greater risk of traffic crashes. This means more injuries and deaths. The Problem Facts Possible Preventions Protect Yourself Protect Others Often Overlooked Resources Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is preventable.

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Just last week, a 39-year-old man was killed and his wife was seriously injured after their motorcycle was hit by a car driven by a man believed to be intoxicated. He was a father to five young children, while the driver was left unharmed in the accident. And three days ago, another horrendous accident was reported where a suspected drunk driver rammed into a car and three other motorcycles. Four people were injured and one person died at the scene of the unfortunate event. All these drunk driving related accidents happened in Malaysia.

It seems like every week there is news on a road traffic accident involving a person driving under the influence. It was reported that in 2019, Malaysia had the third highest fatality rate from road traffic accidents in Asia and ASEAN, behind Thailand and Vietnam. And over the recent Chinese New Year holidays, Malaysia saw 138 deaths from road accidents in a span of just nine days.

The rampant drunk-driving accidents in Malaysia have even caught the attention of the country's Finance Minister, Lim Guan Eng. He said that "the government is looking at amending the penalty under Section 41 (of the Road Transport Act 1987) for those who cause accidents leading to death due to driving in a drunken state." The current penalty for offenders is a jail sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to RM20,000 (US$4,800). However, with the possible law amendments, the Malaysian government will be increasing the sentence to 20 years and a RM100,000 (US$24,000) fine.

Just recently, fellow ASEAN member state Vietnam introduced a zero-tolerance approach to offenders that caused a 25 percent drop in beer sales. The new laws penalise drivers for even the slightest trace of alcohol, while the maximum fine has doubled to VND8 million (US$345) - on top of a possible suspension of a driver's license for two years. Those caught driving under the influence may face a fine of as much as VND40 million (US$1,700) and a license suspension. Cyclists will also face fines up to US$25 for riding after drinking. Malaysia's laws on drink-driving have been criticised by the media and the public for being "lenient" compared to laws in countries such as Vietnam.

But would enforcing tighter laws curb Malaysia's drink-driving problem?

Some argue that although the long overdue stricter penalty could potentially help decrease drink-driving incidents in Malaysia, many believe that it is not the ultimate solution in addressing the issue. Some are calling for the death penalty on offenders - while some are calling for a total ban of alcohol.
Understanding alcohol overdose
Research in 2012 by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) showed that a drunk driver is 13 times more likely to cause an accident, compared to a sober person. In Malaysia, the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is 0.08, which makes the country one of the most tolerable in the world, alongside Singapore and the United States (US). Some countries such as Taiwan and Japan would consider BAC of 0.05 and 0.03 respectively, as legally intoxicated.

Studies have shown that a higher BAC is also associated with decreased reaction time. One study pointed to an average decreased reaction time of 120 milliseconds - just over a tenth of a second -associated with a BAC level of 0.08, the legal limit in Malaysia. So, when cruising at 70 miles per hour, a drunk driver would travel an additional 12 feet before reacting to a roadway hazard. According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a BAC of 0.08 percent reduces a person's ability to concentrate, lack of speed control, impaired perception and self-control and sometimes even short-term memory loss.
Addressing the elephant in the room
Some viral posts on social media have created racial tensions among Malaysians claiming that non-Muslims are responsible for most drink-driving accidents. According to a report in 2019, 61 percent of Malaysians are Muslims and alcohol is prohibited for them in Malaysia. Nevertheless, drink-driving is a problem that concerns all as there are a significant number of Malaysian Muslims who drink too. Wong Shu Qi, Member of Parliament for Kluang, a town in the southern state of Johor argues that drunk driving "is not a racial issue" and that matters pertaining to drunk driving should be taken seriously. She also added that anyone who breaks the law should be punished.

Many "Don't Drink and Drive" campaigns are seen in the West - ranging from radio and television advertisements, billboards and even lectures in schools and universities. However, it is rather rare for such campaigns to be conducted in great numbers in Malaysia as the subject of alcohol is typically frowned upon - despite many consuming it across the country.

In a city like Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where the night scene is comparable to that in major cities around the world, it is understandable for the youth and clubgoers to partake in the vibrant nightlife. Perhaps Oscar Wilde's famous saying "Everything in moderation, including moderation" should be applied to one's alcohol consumption. With technology advances and apps such as Grab, MyCar and other ride-hailing alternatives, there's really no excuse to drive after a night out. For one's own safety and the wellbeing of others: just don't drink, and drive.

Related articles:
Vietnam's growing alcohol and salt addiction Thailand's roads still deadly for the poor

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Just last week, a 39-year-old man was killed and his wife was seriously injured after their motorcycle was hit by a car driven by a man believed to be intoxicated. He was a father to five young children, while the driver was left unharmed in the accident.

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Drunk driving is an excellent example of both the need and the opportunity for prevention to be comprehensive. Clearly, laws against drunk driving, enforced by the police and adjudicated by the courts, must play a leading role in the effort to keep people from driving while drunk. But legal action alone cannot solve the problem. Many other strategies also have the potential to significantly reduce drunk driving. Together with the law, these strategies can have a major effect.

There can be no question that alcohol is a major contributor to the problem of traffic safety in the United States. In about half of the 44,000 fatalities caused by traffic accidents in 1984, the drivers or other people killed in the accident had alcohol in their blood (see Figure 3-1). But this statistic can be misleading. It does not mean that if no one ever drove after drinking, highway fatalities would be cut in half. As David Reed of Harvard University points out, "Drinking-driving countermeasures can be legitimate and useful government actions, but . . . even if such countermeasures were perfectly successful, the savings in lives, injuries, and property loss would be less than widely quoted figures would lead one to believe."

The reason, explains Reed, is that the presence of alcohol in an accident does not always mean that alcohol caused the accident. In many accidents that kill people who have been drinking, the alcohol plays a minor or insignificant role. Roadside testing by researchers has shown that an average of 10 to 20 percent of all drivers on the road have measurable levels of alcohol in their blood. It is inevitable that some of these people will be involved in fatal accidents, even if their drinking is not to blame.

Using several epidemiological studies of drunk driving, Reed has calculated a more accurate estimate of the number of deaths that could be prevented if no one ever drove after drinking. These studies compared the blood alcohol levels of drivers involved in accidents with the blood alcohol levels of drivers not involved in accidents (this latter control group was randomly selected at times and places similar to those at which the accidents occurred). The data show that 24 percent of the fatalities would not have occurred if the drivers had not been drinking. Similar calculations give average estimates of 12 percent for the number of disabling injuries that would be prevented and 6 percent for the amount of preventable property damage. Of course, these figures are only estimates. Several factors that could not be included in the calculations could force these percentages higher or lower, and the data are far from perfect.

Nevertheless, these findings suggest that the number of theoretically preventable deaths, while not the 50 percent often cited, is still high. Nationwide, a 24 percent decrease in fatalities would mean that over 10,000 of the nearly 45,000 people killed annually in traffic accidents in recent years would not have died. Similarly, the number of theoretically preventable disabling injuries (the most ambiguous category) is between 150,000 and 300,000 per year, Reed estimates, and the property damage that could be prevented is over $1 billion. These figures indicate what might be possible. The question then becomes, how can the United States move toward these goals?

Do More Arrests Have an Effect?

The law in the United States (and throughout the world) clearly declares that people should not drive while drunk. Generally, legal codes specify a blood alcohol content (BAC) of between 0.08 and 0.10 percent, past which a person is legally intoxicated. Almost everyone agrees that drunk driving is reckless, therefore dangerous, and therefore wrong. Here, then, is a case where the law reinforces widely held public opinions.

The effectiveness of these laws, however, must be open to question. For every arrest made for driving while intoxicated (DWI), an estimated 500 to 2,000 drunk driving incidents go unpenalized, although more arrests are made for drunk driving in America than for any other offense and significant sums are spent on enforcement. Even doubling or quadrupling the number of arrests would leave the chance of arrest extremely small. With the possibility of getting caught so slim, it may seem that people would shrug off an effort by police to make more arrests.

Surprisingly, several studies show that this is not the case. An increased risk of arrest can significantly reduce drunk driving. The classic example is the British Road Safety Act of 1967. This act defined driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 to be an offense. The BAC was to be determined by an "Alcotest" breathalyzer device, one million of which were purchased by the British government. Police asked drivers to submit to the test given a reasonable cause, such as a road accident, a moving violation, or erratic driving. If the driver refused, illegal intoxication was assumed. Judges had no discretion in sentencing. The first offense resulted in a mandatory one-year suspension of a driver's license.

The Road Safety Act had a dramatic impact on Britain's drivers. In the three months after it took effect, traffic fatalities dropped 23 percent in Britain. In the first year of the act, the percentage of drivers killed who were legally drunk dropped from 27 percent to 17 percent.

These general trends mask several specific changes in British drinking practices. Research showed that the act did not significantly change the amount people in Britain drank. Rather, the act seems to have affected a very narrow slice of behavior-the custom of driving to and from pubs, especially on weekend nights. After the act took effect, many regular customers took to walking to pubs. Pub owners raised a considerable outcry, and a number of less conveniently located pubs closed.

Unfortunately, the successes of the act were relatively short-lived. Within a few years, traffic fatalities again began to climb. By 1973 the percentage of drivers killed who were drunk was back to its pre-1967 level. By 1975, for reasons still unknown, this percentage had risen to 36 percent, considerably above what it was before the act.

This evaporation of progress is a common feature of efforts to increase the risk of arrest. The usual explanation for it is that drivers eventually realize that the chances of arrest and punishment are not all that high. "People lose interest," says Charles Crawford, vice-president of the Ernest and Julio Gallo Winery. "The police lose interest, the judges have no more room to throw people in jail, and they start to forget about it." In the case of the British Road Safety Act, much of its initial effectiveness seems to have come from the breathalyzer, which had never been used in Britain before. The British expected the Alcotest to revolutionize the workings of the court on drunk driving cases. A scientific mechanism would replace the old system of patrols and trials. In fact, the breathalyzer had no such effect. Well-publicized cases soon established narrow limits to its authority. Standards for its use took several years to develop, and British police used it less frequently than did police in other countries. As the respect for and fear of the Alcotest declined, so did the effectiveness of the act.

Several drunk driving programs in the United States have produced results similar to those of the British Road Safety Act. In the 1970s the Department of Transportation funded 35 locally organized and managed Alcohol Safety Action Projects in various parts of the country. Each project sought in its own way to combine an increased risk of arrest, more effective trial and rehabilitation procedures, and public education to reduce the number of accidents caused by drunk driving. By increasing surveillance, targeting patrols for specific times and places, and motivating police to make arrests, many of the jurisdictions involved were able to double and triple the number of DWI arrests.

The studies that attempted to evaluate these local projects suffered from serious methodological flaws, including noncomparable sites, inadequate controls, and a premature expansion of the program. But in their final report, the projects' national evaluators found that 12 of the 35 had produced a discernible effect on nighttime auto fatalities-a good indicator of drunk driving. These 12 projects reduced fatalities an average of 30 percent over three years, which is broadly comparable to the 23 percent reduction in fatalities noted in the British program. Independent researchers, however, have concluded that the positive effects were much smaller.

The overall conclusion that can be drawn from the various drunk driving studies is that an increased risk of arrest does deter drunk driving. The National Research Council panel on alcohol abuse concludes that "some moderately persuasive evidence exists suggesting that effectively enforced drunken driving laws will deter drunken driving and reduce accidents and fatalities associated with it." Increased police surveillance is especially important at night, when most alcohol-induced traffic fatalities occur. Moreover, recent studies have shown that the speed with which drunk driving cases are decided in court can substantially influence the effectiveness of new drunk driving laws. However, other research questions remain to be answered to determine how best to reinforce the ongoing shift of attitudes toward drunk driving.

Finally, increasing the risk of arrest is apt to be costly. For example, the Alcohol Safety Action Projects cost $88 million, not counting the costs of state and local enforcement, the expense of treatment programs borne by those arrested, and the social costs of increased police surveillance. At the most these projects saved 563 lives, for an average minimum cost of $156,000 per life saved. Many other traffic safety improvements have the potential to save lives more cost-effectively, according to the Department of Transportation, though they may not be able to save as many lives as increased enforcement of drunk driving laws.

Do Tougher Penalties Have an Effect?

There may be another way besides increased enforcement to keep people from driving while drunk. If the penalties imposed by courts and juries for drunk driving are severe, people may think twice about taking to the road when intoxicated. This alternative has the potential to be less costly than increased police surveillance, except for the drunk drivers caught, and would also concentrate the burden of stricter laws on drunk drivers rather than on all drivers.

The prime example of harsh penalties for drunk driving is found in the Scandinavian countries. There a first DWI offense commonly results in imprisonment, fines of up to 10 percent of a person's after-tax income, or license suspensions exceeding one year. Anecdotal evidence indicates that these tough penalties are effective deterrents, but social science research has been unable to uncover any hard proof.

Research has also shown that efforts to impose tougher penalties in America have not had much effect. In part, this seems to be caused by people's belief that "it can't happen to me." "After all," Reed observes, "those who currently drive drunk are not deterred by the small risk of a very severe penalty-accidental death."

Even when a drunk driver is brought to trial, judges, juries, and even police and prosecutors are often reluctant to impose tough penalties on DWI offenders. "Many people in our society do not view driving after drinking as deviant behavior," observes Reed. "If the general feeling of the public is, 'There but for the grace of God go I,' it is doubtful that severe penalties will be applied often even if they are authorized by law." However, the recent tendency of state legislatures to toughen drunk driving laws may indicate that these attitudes are changing.

The reluctance to impose harsh penalties may also stem from confusion over the nature of the offense. Mass media ads may have caused part of the problem. Some ads have suggested that any level of drinking is dangerous when combined with driving. If this were true, 75 percent of the population would have broken the law, since this is the proportion of people who in one national survey admit to having driven after drinking. If people feel they have broken the law themselves, they are inclined to judge others leniently.

In fact, the offense is drunken driving. Many people who drink and drive are not legally intoxicated, though their driving may be impaired. If these people knew how much a person had to drink to be convicted, they might be more willing to convict others of the crime. To be considered intoxicated in most states, a person who has not recently eaten typically has to have four to five drinks within an hour (although this amount varies greatly for different people). A typical BAC for a DWI offender who is brought to trial is 0.15 percent, which would require a small person to consume six to seven drinks in an hour on an empty stomach. Most Americans have probably never driven with this much alcohol in their blood.

Finally, tougher penalties for drunk driving bring their own costs, in addition to the costs imposed on the people who are caught. The length of trials and number of appeals are both likely to rise, further burdening an overtaxed court system. If drunk drivers are to be given jail terms, the expense of their imprisonment also has to be taken into account.

Despite such drawbacks, it is clear that police surveillance and appropriate penalties must be a component of society's effort to deal with drunk driving, and the use of these legal sanctions has been increasing in recent years. As the panel concludes, "At a minimum, [drunk driving laws] help sustain a widely shared disapprobation of drunken driving. They also provide an opportunity to attack a given drinking practice more aggressively if the society is willing to commit the resources, publicity, and attention necessary to make deterrence a social phenomenon rather than an abstract concept."

As noted at the beginning of this chapter, however, legal sanctions are not the sole answer to the problem of drunk driving. Many other preventive measures can also keep people from driving when drunk. The remaining chapters in this book describe these measures in detail and present the evidence for their effectiveness. The rest of this chapter outlines the main features of these measures, noting in particular their relevance to drunk driving.

Price and Availability of Alcohol

As described in Chapter 4, research has shown that higher prices for alcohol can significantly reduce the amount that people drink. Price-induced decreases in consumption have in turn been linked to declines in the incidence of drunk driving and cirrhosis of the liver. For the past three decades, the price of alcohol has been falling with respect to the price of other goods. A substantial part of this decline is due to federal and state taxes on alcohol not having kept up with inflation. Thus, the government may be able to reduce drunk driving by raising its taxes on alcohol.

It is difficult to quantify exactly how much less drunk driving would occur if taxes on alcohol were to rise. There are also economic and social costs associated with raising alcohol taxes. Nevertheless, this is a good example of how changes in general drinking practices can influence drunk driving.

It may also be possible to reduce drunk driving through specific steps affecting the availability of alcohol. Since World War II, restrictions on alcohol sales have gradually been weakening. Alcoholic beverages have been sold in more and more places, those places have been open longer hours, and minimum drinking ages in many states have gone down (although recently they have begun to go back up). Evidence from the United States that a greater number of outlets selling alcohol causes more drinking is still inconclusive. But several studies have indicated that a lower minimum drinking age does lead to greater accident and fatality rates among young people who have been drinking ( Chapter 6). As the panel writes, "There is reasonable evidence that prohibition for youths does have some effect on their drinking and in particular that the choice of a minimum drinking age has a small but consistently exacerbating effect on the auto accident and fatality rates."

Another way to change the availability of alcohol is to have the people who serve alcohol, whether bartenders or private hosts, see to it that their customers or guests do not have too much to drink and then try to drive home ( Chapter 5). In over half the states in the nation, "dramshop" laws impose this responsibility on commercial servers by making them liable for the damage done by underage or "obviously intoxicated" patrons to whom they serve alcoholic beverages. These laws are not as effective as they might be, however, because of the vagueness of the term "obviously intoxicated" and because they offer little guidance to servers on how to avoid liability.

In recent years, interest has been building in ways to make these laws more effective. One suggestion has been to broaden these laws to recognize a server's overall level of responsibility. If servers had standards of practice to follow in their business, courts or legislators could absolve servers who followed those standards from the liability for damage caused by patrons who drive drunk despite the server's efforts.

Educational Campaigns

Another approach to preventing drunk driving is through educational campaigns employing the mass media or local organizations such as hospitals, churches, and schools. These campaigns enjoy considerable prestige in the United States and have the potential to reach millions of people. As discussed in Chapter 7, however, evidence for their effectiveness remains scanty. People already know that drunk driving is dangerous and agree that the police and courts should move effectively to deal with it. Moreover, it is unlikely that educational campaigns will be powerful enough to fundamentally alter a person's beliefs about drinking, which are set by the entire social environment, including peer groups and family.

But there is one kind of educational campaign that holds more promise. This approach, which has been tried less often, is to teach people ways to avoid driving when dangerously or illegally drunk. It might include personal rules of thumb for knowing how much alcohol one can drink before reaching a certain BAC level, self-administered sobriety tests, or alternatives to driving when one has had too much to drink.

Of course, such information would have to exist for it to be disseminated, and increased research is needed on such matters. But even where usable findings are available, a serious problem remains. Mass media campaigns invariably shy away from any suggestion that people might drive after drinking, whether that drinking results in drunkenness or not. To hint that people might drive after drinking even though they are not legally drunk might be seen as encouraging this behavior. For example, writes Reed, "It is known that drowsiness, one of the obvious effects of drinking, impairs driving ability, yet public information and education campaigns from government and private sources consistently omit such suggestions as taking caffeine, driving with the windows open, or playing the radio when driving after drinking (although it is frequently and accurately pointed out that coffee does not reverse the intoxicating effects of alcohol). Presumably, such suggestions are omitted because they could be perceived as encouraging drunk driving by lowering its expected costs." This problem of possibly encouraging driving after drinking will surface again in the section below on reducing environmental risk.

If an educational campaign about drunk driving were instituted, certain kinds of media could be especially effective. Charles Crawford suggests putting several pages on the effects of alcohol in driver's license handbooks, which are among the most widely read booklets in America. "If every driver's handbook had a few pages, not on punitive laws but on what causes drunk driving and what constitutes social responsibility, I think it would mean a lot," he says.

Changing the Environment

Laws, server intervention, and mass media campaigns are designed to reduce the amount of drunk driving and hence the number of accidents caused by it. But it may also be possible to reduce the risk associated with drunk driving, regardless of how often people do it.

As discussed in Chapter 8, the most efficient physical devices now available to make driving safer are passive restraints, including automatic seat belts and air bags. These devices would be more effective for drunk drivers than for sober drivers, because studies show that drunk drivers involved in accidents are less likely to use conventional seat belts than are all drivers involved in accidents. Similarly, changes in road designs to make roads less confusing or distracting would help drunk drivers even more than sober drivers, since the ability to divide attention among tasks is one of the first capacities to diminish when people drink.

Another possibility is to equip cars with devices that detect an intoxicated driver and keep the car from starting or make it very conspicuous, say, by flashing its lights or honking the horn. Several such devices have been suggested. One is an analyzer that would sniff the air around a driver's head for any trace of alcohol. Another would detect errors characteristic of drinking, such as oversteering. There are also various kinds of skills testers, such as one that requires drivers to punch random numbers into a keyboard.

Of course, drivers could disconnect any such device or have someone else take the test for them. Even so, these devices could have the important effect. They could remind a driver and anyone else whose aid was enlisted that he or she was about to do a dangerous thing. The general public would probably object to the inconvenience, annoyance, and cost of having such devices in all cars. But they could be installed in the cars of select groups, such as people who have been arrested for drunk driving before.

Conclusions

To deal effectively with drunk driving, society must approach the problem from many different directions simultaneously. Beefed-up surveillance and tougher penalties for drunk drivers are two approaches that must be part of the solution. Drunk drivers kill and injure enough innocent third parties to warrant legal intervention, and Americans generally agree that drunk drivers should be arrested and punished.

At the same time, there are many other preventive options that should not be overlooked in an effort to get tough with drunk drivers. Higher taxes on alcohol, changes in the drinking age, responsible oversight by servers, educational campaigns, safer cars and highways, and steps to deal with repeat offenders all have at least a theoretical capability to reduce drunk driving. As we will see in the remaining chapters of this book, there are advantages and disadvantages to each of these steps, and the evidence for their effectiveness is not always conclusive. But as part of a broad, comprehensive program of prevention, they have the potential to make a significant and lasting difference.

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Drunk driving is an excellent example of both the need and the opportunity for prevention to be comprehensive. Clearly, laws against drunk driving, enforced by the police and adjudicated by the courts, must play a leading role in the effort to keep people from driving while drunk.

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The cost of drunk driving can be quite high.

When police officers stop and arrest someone for driving under the influence of alcohol, that person-who will need a good DUI lawyer -can expect to face harsh consequences from jail time to hefty fines if convicted by a court.

That cost, however, becomes exponential when the drunk driver gets involved in an accident. Aside from the financial cost, a drunk driving crash-a violent one in particular-can bring about physical, psychological, and emotional effects that become such a burden to everyone involved.

The Physical Toll of Alcohol-related Drunk Driving Accidents

Anyone surviving a drunk driving crash with minor or no injuries can be considered fortunate. Many car crash survivors, however, can hardly be regarded as lucky with the type of physical injuries they sustain.

Some of the most heartbreaking injuries suffered during drunk driving crashes involve the head and brain. Survivors with a traumatic brain injury are often rendered unable to see, speak, talk, walk, or even eat on their own, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Aside from the head and neck, the chest, the spine, and the legs and knees are also quite vulnerable during car crashes. It's going to take some time for victims to recover from injuries to those areas, if at all. They are also likely to experience chronic pain for a long time.

The Psychological Cost of Drunk Driving Crashes

A drunk driving crash is a traumatizing event, especially when it's so violent someone got killed or seriously hurt. Survivors tend to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which affects millions of Americans every year.

People with PTSD typically manifest symptoms like irritability, difficulty sleeping, jumpiness, problems concentrating, emotional numbness, and nightmares.

Certain activities like riding or driving a car can also trigger flashbacks, which make them feel like they're going through the traumatic experience all over again. Anything that may remind them of that fateful day like news reports about a car crash or seeing fellow survivors can set off flashbacks.

The Emotional Effects of Drunk Driving Accidents

When drunk drivers who brought about a deadly car crash survive the accident, they will likely feel guilty over the deaths and injuries they have caused, and this guilt will be hanging over their heads for a long time. Some may even feel so overwhelmed by the guilt that suicidal thoughts may enter their mind.

Other survivors of a drunk driving accident may also feel survivor's guilt. Even when they didn't do anything, they are likely to experience persistent mental and emotional stress over the fact that they survived the crash and others didn't. It's also common for survivors of a drunk driving accident to feel so much anger, especially against the drunk driver who caused the crash.

Indeed, the toll drunk driving accidents take on their victims is very high, and survivors will need all the support and help they can get to overcome their physical, psychological, and emotional effects. It might take them some time to recover, but with the help of professional treatments and therapies, survivors of drunk driving crashes can still hope to resume their normal lives.

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The Physical, Psychological, and Emotional Effects of Drunk Driving Mishaps | Absolute Advocacy

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The cost of drunk driving can be quite high. When police officers stop and arrest someone for driving under the influence of alcohol, that person-who will need a good DUI lawyer -can expect to face harsh consequences from jail time to hefty fines if convicted by a court.

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Drunk Driving

Drivers use their hands, eyes, and feet to control the car; but their hands, eyes, and feet must be controlled by their brains. Safe driving requires alertness and the ability to make quick decisions in rapidly changing situations. Drinking alcohol can have a profound effect on driving skills. For example, drinking can have a negative effect on any of these skills:

Reaction Time - Alcohol can slow reflexes, which can decrease the ability to react swiftly to changing situations.

Vision - Alcohol can slow eye muscle function, alter eye movement, and alter visual perception, possibly resulting in blurred vision. Night vision and color perception also can be impaired.

Tracking - Alcohol can decrease the ability to judge the car's position on the road, or the location of other vehicles, center line, or road signs.

Concentration - Alcohol may cause attention to driving to decrease and/or drowsiness to occur.

Comprehension - Alcohol can hinder the ability to make rational decisions

Coordination - Reduced eye/hand/foot coordination can be caused by drinking too much alcohol.

It is estimated that more than 10,000 young people in the United States are killed and 40,000 are injured in auto accidents when alcohol is involved. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates more than 26,000 lives have been saved since the drinking age was increased to 21.
Next: Blackouts

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Understanding the Effects of Alcohol: Drunk Driving

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Drivers use their hands, eyes, and feet to control the car; but their hands, eyes, and feet must be controlled by their brains. Safe driving requires alertness and the ability to make quick decisions in rapidly changing situations. Drinking alcohol can have a profound effect on driving skills.

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Drunk driving is a terrible thing to do. It can effect more than just the driver. Once a drunk driver is on the road, every vehicle that they pass by is now in danger. Their judgement and reaction times are impaired. This makes them hazardous. Most of the time, drunk drivers don't even know which side of the road that they need to be on. Once they've been fined or caught for their first offense, often times, they do the same thing again. The motto for most people who are negligent for crashes is often times, "No cop, no stop," or "If I don't get caught, then it's not illegal." This mindset is what later leads to more serious offenses. That's why there are more serious laws and guidelines that people are taught from a young age. Sadly, not everyone decides to follow these guidelines, and this is what leads to crashes. The earlier facts from the Utah Driver's Education course states, "If your blood or breath alcohol concentration level is .08 grams, the point of presumed intoxication in Utah, you are six times more likely to have a crash than if you are sober." So why do people do it? Drunk driving can also effect other people. The same source also states, "Almost half of the crashes in which people are killed nationally involve drinking. There are more than 16,000 of those crashes each year." Drunk driving is literally half of the reason why people die on roads in the country today. If we can eliminate that threat than twice as many lives wouldn't be lost due to car

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Drunk driving is a terrible thing to do. It can effect more than just the driver. Once a drunk driver is on the road, every vehicle that they pass by is now in danger. Their judgement and reaction times are impaired. This makes them hazardous.

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