joealdeguer's Blog

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 have 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.

The proportion of drivers involved in fatal crashes in each state who are known to have been intoxicated is listed in the table below.

Abuse and Lose

Statutory Reference: 577.500 and 577.525

If ordered by the court, anyone under 21 years of age may have his or her driving privilege suspended for 90 days for a first offense or revoked for one year for a subsequent offense for any one of the following reasons:

1. Any alcohol related traffic offense.

2. Any offense involving the possession or use of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle.

3. Any offense involving the possession or use of drugs.

4. Any offense involving the alteration, modification or misrepresentation of a driver license.

5. A second offense involving the possession or use of alcohol by someone under 18 years of age.

Joseph Aldeguer

A driver convicted of a second alcohol offense, regardless of the length of time between convictions, is revoked for a period of one year. A driver convicted of driving while intoxicated for the second time in a five-year period also receives a five-year license denial.

A 10-year license denial is imposed against any individual convicted three or more times for driving while intoxicated, excessive blood alcohol content (BAC) or a combination of the two. After ten years, the privilege to drive can be restored only by court order.

Reinstatement

An organization committed to reducing drunk driving, the Century Council, promotes a three-pronged approach to reducing the problem.

1. Swift Identification. It is important to detect hardcore offenders as early as possible in the progression of their drunk-driving careers. Once identified as hardcore drunk drivers, it is then important to prevent them from driving until fundamental behavior change has occurred.

2. Certain Punishment. The perception that punishment is certain has much greater deterrent effect than severity of punishment, a fact repeatedly demonstrated by research.

3. Effective Treatment. Providing effective treatment is essential to reducing hardcore drunk driving because, regardless of the punishment imposed, offenders will eventually begin driving again. The only way to prevent offenders from drinking and driving is treatment that brings about fundamental changes in behavior.