Driving under the influence of alcohol- Beware
January 1, 2010 – 1:11 am
This New Year’s holiday you can rest assured that police are in full force to arrest individuals caught drinking and driving. Driving under the influence (DUI) is not only limited to motor vehicles but also if one is operating a wheelchair, bicycle, boat, tractor or an airplane. DUI is a criminal offense in almost every country on earth.
DUI is not a minor problem and is a serious health hazard costing nearly $51 billion each year. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent or more of traffic accidents are caused while under the influence of alcohol. Most countries have severe penalties for individuals committing car accidents while drinking and driving. Lengthy prison sentences have been pronounced in most western countries to deter people from DUI. In the USA, prosecutors encourage judges to add the maximum sentence with no room for probation.
When a driver is suspected of being under the influence, blood alcohol content (BAC) is measured. BAC is simply a measurement of alcohol concentration in blood by weight. In the USA in all states if the BAC is > 0.08% or higher, you are going to prison.
Even though the validity of some tests is questioned, it is extremely hard to beat the system. Even though lawyers advertize ads that they can help you fight the penalty, in most cases this means settling the case out of court for thousands of dollars. Hardly anyone caught with a drunk driving charge ever goes home without a heavy penalty. In some jurisdictions the laws are even stricter- simply having an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the car is grounds for arrest.
The best advice for this New Year’s holiday is do not drink and drive. If you are going to drink, let someone else do the driving.
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