Problems with Drinking and Driving
Problems with Drinking and Driving
Driving while intoxicated is a serious offense. Over the years, consequences have become more severe especially for young driver. Groups like MADD, have pushed legislation to make drinking and driving laws tougher. MADD stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving started by a group in California after a 13 year old girl was killed by a hit and run driver. The driver had been out of jail for 2 days after another hit and run collision. The driver had three previous convictions of drinking and driving and was arrested on two. The driver got a very light sentence which most of it he did not serve. The mission statement of MADD is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. There are many groups like MADD such as SADD (students against drunk driving), RAADD(recording artist against drunk driving), and BADD(boaters against drunk driving).
Driving While intoxicated means a person is operating a motor vehicle while legally drunk. All states consider .10% BAC(blood alcohol content) to be legally intoxicated. Many people feel they are very capable to drive after drinking and they think their judgment is fine. Alcohol affects your reflexes, reaction time, judgment of speed and distance, and makes you less alert. You may actually feel more confident about driving when you should not be driving at all. Alcohol makes YOU make bad decisions. Never drink alcohol while taking certain drugs. It often multiples the effect of alcohol and the certain drug. Just after one drink a driver begin to lose their ability to perform the tasks necessary to drive a car. One drink is equal to 1oz. Liquor, 4-5oz. Of wine, and 12oz. Of beer (one can). Your liver breaks down about one drink per hour. Alcohol will affect you until it is out of your system. While your weight plays a small role of your BAC, no one is immune to the effects of alcohol. Coffee, exercise, and cold showers do very little to reduce your BAC. Eating before or while you drink helps slow down alcohol absorption, but it cannot prevent you from becoming impaired or intoxicated if you drink too much. In New York State like many others you are breaking the law driving with...