Drunk driving has always been a problem on our city streets. The fact is it will always be a problem. Those who choose to drive while drunk are at a greater risk to cause accidents, vehicular deaths, and highway injuries. In order to try and eliminate drunk driving preventative measures have been put in place such as suspending and/or revoking driver’s licenses, impounding vehicles, increasing and enforcing penalties and fines for drunk driving, and mandated alcohol programs.

Every death that is caused by drunk driving can be prevented. While the amount of alcohol related crashes has somewhat decreased in recent decades, there are still too many preventable drunk driving accidents occurring. Which means that drunk driving still remains a serious problem nationally that affects thousands of victims each year.

The definition of what constitutes drunk driving is consistent throughout the United States. Each state, along with the District of Columbia define a person to be drunk driving when their blood alcohol content, or BAC to be at or above 0.08 percent. They also have a zero tolerance policy that prohibits drivers under the age of 21 from drinking and driving. If an underage person is stopped for suspicion of drunk driving their blood alcohol content need only be 0.02 for them to be charged with DUI.

In order to make those who sell alcohol and serve alcohol more careful about how and whom they sell to forty-three states, and the District of Columbia now hold those who serve the alcohol legally liable for any damage or injuries a drunk driver causes.

Anti drunk driving campaigns such as MADD (mothers against drunk driving) target drivers who are under the age of 21, drivers between the ages of 21 to 34, and repeat offenders. These are the groups who are responsible for more alcohol related car crashes than any other.