Drunk Driving means Accidents and Legal Inconveniences

Drunk driving brings nothing but trouble and misery. The first and least problem is running afoul of the law against DUI or driving under the influence. Penalties for DUI, even for the first offense, have been increased all around. There are even state laws that now impose mandatory jail time especially for repeat offenders. But the worst thing that can happen is your losing limb and life as drunk driving has been consistently shown as parent to road accidents.

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On the stricter laws against drunk driving, about two-third of the states have now passed Administrative License Revocation (ALR) laws, which allows the arresting officer to take the license of drivers who fail or refuse to take a breath test. The fines imposed for driving while intoxicated are larger, the length of license suspension longer and redeeming a confiscated licenses made doubly harder. That should be enough warning and deterrent for law-abiding citizens who hate tussles with the law.


Many states have passed Habitual Violator laws, which provide felony penalties for three DUI convictions. These offenders can lose many of their civil rights like being able to vote or own a weapon as well as their driver’s license permanently or for many, many years. In order to get that license back, most states now require offenders to complete some form of a DUI school or education and assessment program. Now the offender must first go through an assessment interview with a professional counselor before it is decided what steps must be completed before the driver’s license is reinstated. The counselor, based on his assessment of the drunk driver, can mandate attendance in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a residential treatment program, detoxification or other medical treatment.


All of this cost time and money or both on top of the fines and probation fees the offender must pay. But that is not the only cost involved. Many states also require additional insurance coverage before returning driving privileges to DUI offenders, and that can run into serious money. Then there is the fee most states charge for re-issuing a driver’s license.

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But despite all the warnings, public awareness and educational programs, stiffer penalties for violations, and efforts by law enforcement agencies across the nation to be more visible and diligent in protecting the highways, people still get behind the wheel of their vehicles while intoxicated. According to a morbidity and mortality report of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, vehicular accidents are the leading cause of death in the US in any given year. And over 40 percent of these deaths are DUI-related (source: http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r020703.htm).


In effect, the justice system is holding drunk drivers accountable for the damage they do to those killed or injured on the highways. The monetary liabilities for such incidents can run into millions of dollars, not to mention the criminal penalties. In some areas, part of the DUI school curriculum puts offenders face to face with victims, who tell their painful stories of how a drunk driver changed their lives forever. The idea is that personalizing the pain that drinking and driving can cause might make the offender stop and think before getting behind the wheel.


This is what the National Traffic Safety Institute is trying to do. NTSI offers a variety of programs designed for violators with a first or multiple driving offenses related to alcohol or other drugs. These educational programs are 12 hours to 18 months in duration, depending on individual requirements. The programs offer an intensive, individualized analytical and educational examination of the dangers and problems (both personal and social) of impaired driving. Addiction, the disease concept of alcoholism, family history of alcoholism, and denial are among the topics covered in the program.


For more information about Defensive Driving Courses, please visit the National Traffic Safety Institute at http://www.ntsi.com, call us at (866) 346-3283, or email us at corporate@ntsi.com.