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Edition 13: Drunk Driving

July 16, 2004

 

 

 

It's Not Just a Holiday Thing!

While there may be an increase in intoxicated drivers and related crashes around the holidays, alcohol-related crashes happen every day throughout the year. Despite the tireless efforts of thousands of advocates, the implementation of many public awareness campaigns, and the passage of many laws, impaired drivers continue to kill someone every 30 minutes. That’s, nearly 50 people a day, and almost 18,000 people a year! This e-newsletter is a continuation from the previous one, focusing on the safe celebration of holidays, to safe celebrations throughout the year. Included in this newsletter is some additional information about impaired driving. In addition, there’s a focus on Virginia’s newest laws that became effective this month, as well as some general statistics and facts.


New Laws Regarding Virginia Drunk Driving
“Thousands of Virginians have been killed by drunk drivers,” said Commissioner D.B. Smit of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The new laws are considered among the Nation's toughest. Starting on July 1, 2004, an increased focus is on repeat offenders and harsher penalties. The laws establish new mandatory jail sentences, allow courts to confiscate vehicles from repeat offenders, and impose additional fines. At the time of an arrest for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), law enforcement officials will report the offense to the Central Records Exchange – thus, drunk driving violators will have a criminal record.

Click here for a list of the new Virginia laws at the VA DMV website.

In the coming weeks, Virginia State Police and other law enforcement agencies will continue their implementation of concentrated DUI enforcement operations as part of this year's regional Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. Officers will be conducting checkpoints every weekend through January 2005. 

2002 General Statistics and Facts:

  • An alcohol-related fatality occurs approximately every 30 minutes, making it the nation's most frequently committed violent crime.

  • 41% of all traffic-related deaths or 17,419 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes

  • On the average, a person in injured in an alcohol-related crash every 2 minutes.

  • Among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers, 39% of the males and 18% of females had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent, (this is the legal limit in Virginia).

  • 31% of all fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-related, compared to 54% on weekends.
  
2002 Virginia Statistics and Facts
 

  • 913 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes.

  • 78,896 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes.

  • 375 people were killed due to alcohol-related crashes.

  • 8,465 people were injured due to alcohol-related crashes.

  • The average Blood Alcohol Concentration level of tested drinking drivers was 0.14 percent.

*All image sources from: www.dmvnow.com

 

- Impaired Driving-

The BAC is a standard measure of the level of an individual’s intoxication; in Virginia, the legal limit for a DUI is 0.08 percent.

BACs are a general indication of intoxication; individuals vary widely in the behavioral impact based on their BAC. Thus, one individual may be very impaired at a BAC of 0.04 percent, while another individual may have similar impairment only at 0.07 percent.

Even with relatively low levels of BAC, an individual will face impairment of skills related to safe driving, such as judgement, coordination and reaction time; the best advice is to have a sober driver (BAC = 0.00 percent).

BACs are based primarily upon the amount of alcohol consumed, the time period of consumption, and the individual’s weight and gender; other factors do affect BAC, such as food eaten, use of medications, and fatigue.

 

 

LINKS OF INTEREST:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health has completed numerous traffic safety campaigns.  To review and download these campaigns and others, visit: http://www.caph.gmu.edu/Campaigns.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funded by a grant from

 

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269

http://www.dmv.state.va.us

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Mason University

Center for the Advancement of Public Health

4400 University Dr., MS1F5

Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

http://www.caph.gmu.edu