When Society Minimizes Drinking and Driving
It was nothing," socialite/actress Paris Hilton said of her Sept. 7 arrest in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Nothing is what teens and others say when they also get arrested for drunk driving. The attitude and lack of response says if your "somebody" you'll get better treatment. Please spare me the soft shoe routine.
Then ,Elliot Mintz, Hilton's publicist, dismissed the charges by saying she "had one drink" and her field sobriety test reported "the very absolute lowest reading you can possibly get to warrant being taken in." No excuse!
Though Mintz and Hilton, 25, may not believe the DUI charge was a big deal, Tennessee Valley police officers, attorneys and past offenders beg to differ.
Paul who just graduated college, had a couple cocktails at his brother's wedding reception in Birmingham, he got in his car and headed to meet friends at a favorite watering hole.
"I was almost there and saw flashing blue lights in my rearview mirror," he said. "I knew it was going to be a bad night, but didn't know how bad."
Not only did his DUI earn him a night in the slammer and cost thousands of dollars in court and legal fees, it shaped his entire future as well.
"At the time of my arrest, I was applying to medical school," he said. "I had very good grades and recommendations, and had a pretty good shot of getting into three reputable universities. I didn't get accepted anywhere. I don't know that the DUI caused these rejections, but I really believe it had a lot to do with it."
He also was passed over for several jobs after completing undergraduate school. He believes his DUI has ruined many career opportunities and caused him to lose the trust of close family members.
"The only way it could have been worse is if I had been in a wreck and hurt or killed someone else or myself," he said. "Thank goodness that didn't happen, but I've definitely learned my lesson. I never drive if I've had anything to drink, nor will I ride with someone who's been drinking."
Legal limit
DUI refers to a person driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Both are equally dangerous, but drunk driving is most common.
Alabama's blood alcohol limit is 0.08 percent. This means it is illegal for anyone to operate a motor vehicle if the alcohol content, by weight, in their blood is equal to or greater than 0.08.
So, how many drinks are you allowed before your blood alcohol content exceeds this limit?
It varies for each person depending on weight and how much food is in your system. Sometimes as little as one drink can put you over the limit. Women generally reach this point faster than men.
Fines and jail time
A first offense usually involves alcohol assessment, a small fine, and also can result in a suspension of your licence.
A second offense brings a one-year license revocation and a fine ranging from $1,100 to $5,100. The offender may also be sentenced to 48 hours in jail.
A third offense lands offenders a $2,100 to $10,100 fine, three-year license revocation, and perhaps a 60-day jail sentence.
The first three offenses are misdemeanors. A fourth charge is a felony. (Depending on what State you live)
Forth-time offenders must pay a $4,100 to $10,100 fine. The felon also may be sentenced to one to 10 years in jail.
With so much to lose you would think people would take every precaution and avoid drinking and driving. Unfortunately, this isn't the case.
What causes people to keep boozing and cruising? "Stupidity" .
While Hilton might not take her DUI seriously, you should. Her fortune might be able to bail her out financially, but what area resident can compete with her wealth?
And almost nothing, not even a hefty pocketbook, can rescue anyone if someone is hurt or killed in an alcohol-related car accident.
If you've had too much to drink and are holding the car keys, don't get behind the wheel. Instead, call one of these local cab companies for transportation.
DUI laws and statistics are available to Web surfers at www.duifyi.com. The information provided helps familiarize you with all there is to know about driving under the influence and why you shouldn't.
Here are some key facts from the Web site.
Dram Shop Laws make it illegal for a person to sell alcohol to a drunk or intoxicated individual.
It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol. In most states, if someone under 21 is suspected of drunk driving, a blood alcohol content of only 0.01 percent or 0.02 percent is enough to revoke the person's driver license.
Open Container Laws prohibit both drivers and passengers from having alcoholic beverages open in a vehicle.
In most states, if a person refuses to take a blood or Breathalyzer test, his driver license can be immediately revoked.
In 2001, more than 40 percent of fatal automobile accidents were alcohol related.
Approximately 30 percent of Americans will be in an accident involving alcohol, and according to estimates, someone is injured in an alcohol-related accident every two minutes.
More than one-third of all fatal traffic accidents in 2001 involved at least one person with a BAC over 0.08 percent.
Almost two-thirds of DUI convictions are for first-time offenders. This means more people continue to drive under the influence even after seeing the punishments of others.
Perhaps most importantly, these accidents and arrests are preventable. Make the choice never to drink and drive.
