DUI Essay Essay Example

DUI Essay Essay Driving drunk is the act of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and a DUI is driving under the influence of other mind altering drugs. This doesnt only apply to cars and trucks but also planes, boats, farming vehicles, and even a horse buggy. Driving while intoxicated, also known as DWI is illegal almost everywhere in the united states. It is a crime in the state of New York, and can include penalties of losing your license, getting fines, and even Jail time. To determine how drunk you are, cops use a method called measuring someones BAC. BAC stands for blood alcohol content and any BAC reading . and higher is legally drunk in the state of New York. Nationally, 12. 8% of all drivers involved in fatal accidents during 2001 are known to have been intoxicated according to the BAC laws of their state. This number is based on a examination of the official records of each and every accident involving a fatality during that year in the US. It is based on factual evidence ra ther than on estimates or even guesses. The higher number (about 39%) commonly reported in the press refers to accidents in which there was believed to have been some alcohol consumed by anyone associated with the accident. For example, if a person who was believed to ave consumed any alcohol is stopped at a red light and is rear-ended by an inattentive completely sober driver, that accident is considered to be alcohol-related. Many factors contribute to blood alcohol content; such as the amount of alcohol you drink, how much you weigh, what youVe eaten since you drank, and how much time has passed. The best way to get sober before you drive is to wait. Your body absorbs alcohol at the rate of one drink per hour, so depending on how much you drink youll be waiting a long time. We will write a custom essay sample on DUI Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on DUI Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on DUI Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When a person drinks their reaction times are slowed and even doing simple tasks are challenging. That is why its dangerous for a erson under the influence to operate a car or truck. Every year thousands of people die due to drunk drivers, its a horrible statistic that leaves many familys sad, confused, and lost without their loved ones. Drinking and driving is something that should be taken very seriously. The BAC is different for drivers above and below 21 . If you are under aged then you should not be drinking alcohol in the first place. The BAC for a person under 21 is anything more than . 02. This is also referred to as the Zero Tolerance Law, anyone under 21 who drives with a . 02-. 07 BAC violates the law and can be fined with their icense suspended for 6 months. The penalties are in fact different depending on your age. When youre under 21 , you do not face Jail time and the fines are only around $100-$125. People 21 and older face prison and fines between $500 and $1000. Both people under 21 and over 21 face their license being suspended or revoked (below 21 suspended. Above 21- revoked. . Teens have many reasons for drinking and driving, like peer pressure, a lot of pressure is exerted on the non-drinker to drink with the group of friends. Most teenagers want to be accepted, but they make the wrong choices even thought they re familiar with D. W. I. Also like many adult drinkers, teens like to get together with a group and drink to relax and unwind. The teen years are an emotional time for many people because of situations at home, school, and dating for example. A lot of them feel alcohol offers a chance to unwind and get away from reality. Teenagers and pre- teenagers are very impressionable. If alcohol use and excessive drinking is treated lightly in the house, the teen can develop positive attitudes toward drinking. The constant barrage of ads in the newspapers, magazines and on T. V. portray drinking o be cool and a lot of fun for all those who are doing it. A lot of teens like to drink because it allows them to rebel against the law and their parents because its illegal. Its estimated that a dwi accident occurs every 32 minutes. An alcohol-related, fatal crash is one that was reported by a law enforcer and involved a driver or a non driver like a pedestrian with a blood alcohol concentration of 0. 01 grams per deciliter or greater. In 1997, 16,189 alcohol-related fatalities occurred, 38. 6% of the total fatalities for the year. Nearly one-third of the pedestrians 16 years or older who were killed by utomobiles were intoxicated, (had a BAC of 0. 01 g/dl). In 1997, of all fatal crashes that took place on weekdays involved alcohol; This percentage increased to 52% on weekends. For all crashes, the alcohol involvement on weekends was 12% and on weekdays, 5%. In 1996 and 1997, approximately 1. 5 million individuals were arrested for drunk or drugged driving. This is a ratio of one out of every 122 licensed vehicle operators. I agree with the laws, They are not too harsh, but at the same time they get the point across. If you are caught drunk driving you should pay the full price because ou are putting your own life and countless other lives on the line by making one bad decision. I think that if you are under 21 and have even a BAC of . 01, you should still get fined and your license revoked, because you shouldnt be drinking anyway. If your too immature to make the right decision and not drive drunk then your arent mature enough to operate a vehicle. I also think that you should go to Jail if your under 21 and get caught a 2nd time drunk driving. Drinking and driving again Just shows that you did not learn your lesson the first time, and now your going to pay the price.