Thirty-seven people die in the U.S. every day in car crashes caused by drunk drivers. This means there is a drunk driving-related death every 39 minutes. As you are reading this article, someone is dying in a drunk-driving accident.
What most people don’t realize or think of when drinking is that a blood alcohol level of just .02 results in more than just a good mood. It leads to a decline in visual acuity. And it decreases the ability to multitask. Blood alcohol levels of .05 to .08 cause lapses in judgment, slow response to hazards, lack of danger detection, memory loss, and almost zero perception.
The more a person drinks, the less they can control their actions. When they get into a car under the influence of alcohol, they often cannot stay in one lane or brake when necessary. They can’t focus on steering or processing external information and warnings. This is why drunk drivers cause accidents that kill innocent people.
As soon as a drunk person gets behind the wheel, it sets a chain of events in motion that too often leads to devastating consequences.
Legal Consequences of Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is illegal in all U.S. states. Drivers charged with DUI face having their license suspended for up to a year. Some states impose jail time and a massive fine on first-time offenders. The fine could be as much as $2,000 or more, depending on the state.
Imprisonment is typically less than 12 months because first offenses equal misdemeanors. However, if a drunk driver causes an accident that leads to extensive injuries to a passenger or pedestrian, they will stay in jail for longer. If a DUI kills someone, the drunk driver faces several years in prison.
Furthermore, a court may require some drivers to install an ignition interlock device at their own expense. This device can detect alcohol, and if it does, it will prevent the driver from starting the car.
A drunk driving conviction can cost people their jobs. They will also pay more for insurance after a DUI, and they may have punitive damages charges leveled against them.
In the case of minors who drink and drive, they may face the same or harsher penalties as adult drunk drivers. Minors convicted of a DUI will have their licenses suspended or revoked and may face jail time. They may have their college acceptance canceled, lose scholarships, or face expulsion. DUI convictions often follow minors into adulthood, making it difficult for them to find jobs.
Emotional Consequences of Drunk Driving
If a drunk driver survives an accident they caused, it will likely haunt them for the rest of their lives. Drunk drivers often feel extreme guilt, especially if the accident leads to injury or death of other people. Some drivers cannot cope with the feelings of shame, disgust, and guilt and may become suicidal.
As for the victims of drunk driving accidents, they may become enraged at drunk drivers. This often happens when one person survives and another doesn’t. For instance, a drunk driver may plow into a group of friends, and only two of the six people survive. The two survivors may experience mental and emotional stress, known as survivor’s guilt. That stress often turns into anger directed at the drunk driver.
Sometimes, surviving a violent car crash that claimed multiple lives leads to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) in survivors. They may find it difficult to shut off their thoughts or suffer from insomnia. They may be uncharacteristically irritable or start having nightmares. People with PTSD become triggered by flashbacks or even just by seeing a car crash in a movie or on TV. Victims will have to undergo psychotherapy or take medications for the rest of their lives to cope with this condition.
Physical Consequences of Drunk Driving
Even if a drunk driver doesn’t cost someone their life, they may leave them with debilitating injuries. Some of the most horrific drunk driving accidents leave victims with traumatic brain or spinal injuries. This means some of them will never see, hear, talk, or walk again. Those who make a miraculous recovery, which is very few, will likely suffer chronic pain for years.
The physical consequences of drunk driving also extend to the families of those injured or dead. If a person dies in a drunk driving crash, they leave behind friends and family. They leave behind children and a spouse. Very often, those left behind cannot cope with the loss, and they start to act out or have suicidal tendencies. If someone is gravely injured, their family often has to seek out ways to finance their medical bills. And family and friends have to accept the fact that their loved one will never be the same again. The domino effect of drunk driving accidents is truly devastating, and it affects many people aside from the driver and the direct victims.
Impaired Driving Prevention in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has implemented several strategies to try and decrease impaired driving accidents. These include sobriety checkpoints and educational campaigns. Individual states are also making an effort to clamp down on drunk drivers with high visibility enforcement and immediate license suspension. Some states allow police to confiscate license plates or registrations. Vehicles may be impounded or immobilized. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also offers a range of resources on preventing drunk driving. The website includes facts and statistics aiming to raise awareness about drunk driving.
The Way Forward
Drunk driving is more than just one bad decision or mistake. It is a choice that leads to long-term, devastating consequences for drivers and innocent bystanders. The U.S. has over 233 million licensed drivers. It is up to each one to make the right decision by not drinking and driving. It is up to bystanders and passengers to make a difference by speaking up if they see a drunk person getting into their car. Moreover, it is time to advocate for stricter penalties for drunk driving offenses and support educational campaigns that promote responsible drinking. Otherwise, drunk driving will continue to destroy thousands of lives every year.
