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Recidivism Rates Reduced by Ignition Interlock Devices

May 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Recividsim rates reduced by ignition interlock devicesIt’s been proven time and again that ignition interlock devices work to stop drinking drivers before they can get behind the wheel, but ignition interlock devices (IIDs) don’t just reduce recidivism rates for chronic re-offenders – New research shows that individuals who are first time DUI offenders will be less likely to re-offend if they have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle.

The study followed drivers in Washington State who were previously convicted of DUI. Once ignition interlocks were introduced as a strict requirement for all those convicted, including first time offenders who had driven under the influence, the recidivism rate fell by 12%. The researchers believe this number would have been even higher if all of the offenders who were required to install the ignition interlock devices had followed through.

It’s no surprise that ignition interlock devices work for all types of offenders. In fact, other studies have found that when the ignition interlocks were removed from the vehicle completely, recidivism returned to a rate similar to those who were convicted but did not install an IID in the first place. It’s easy to see that ignition interlock devices prevent re-occurrence of drinking and driving, and most likely will keep first time drivers from ever making the mistake of re-offending.

 

Filed Under: Drunk Driving, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , , , , ,

MADD Pushes for Ignition Interlock Devices for First Time DUI Offenders

April 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Ignition Interlock Device for First Time OffendersIt’s tragic to consider that 9,878 people died in DUI related crashes in 2011, but it becomes even more tragic when you realize those accidents could have been prevented with an ignition interlock device. Even if the driver only has one conviction and is a first time offender, a suspended driver’s license is simply not enough to stop someone determined to drive under the influence.

On any given day, you could drive by someone on the road that has had 3 or more DUI convictions, and yet they continue to get easily behind the wheel. That’s why MADD is pushing for every State to require IIDs to be installed in first time offender’s vehicles, preventing them from driving unless they blow into the device.

Some of the States that currently require ignition interlock devices for first time offenders convicted for blowing 0.8 are Alaska, Hawaii, Missouri, New York, Oregon, and Utah. Find out the ignition interlock laws for your state. If you feel that they are not keeping first time offenders from continuing to drink and drive, contact your State legislators.

Filed Under: Drunk Driving, Resources, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , , , ,

Wait to Text, Save a Life

April 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Distracted Driving Awareness MonthYou probably know by now that drinking and driving can destroy your life and the lives of others in an instant, but you might not have known that picking up your cell phone and answering a text while you’re driving can actually do the exact same thing.

Distracted driving is fast becoming a dangerous epidemic on our roadways, and statistics are showing a growing case against texting while driving. It also seems to be hitting the tech savvy age group especially hard, as out of the 5,474 people killed in distracted driving crashes in 2009, 16% of those individuals were under the age of 20.

But distracted driving isn’t just a problem for really young people – Individuals in the 30-39 age group aren’t focusing on the road either, and they were cited as having the highest use of cell phones in fatal distracted driving crashes.

With April 2013 being National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, there’s never been a better time to safely stow your cell phone and save the texting for when you’re parked or out of the car. For more information on Distracted Driving, visit Distraction.gov .

Filed Under: Resources, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , ,

Tips to Make the Most of April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

When you get behind the wheel, do you really focus on the road? Although most people would say yes, statistics show that distracted driving is a rapidly growing problem inDistracted Driving Awareness Month America. In 2011 alone, 387,000 people were injured in car crashes involving distracted driving, and 3,3331 were killed. That’s a staggering number when you consider that, if the driver would have just kept his or her focus on the road, the accident may never have happened.

Driving may come as second nature to you, and you may know your daily route like the back of your hand, but you can’t deny that a vehicle has the power to cause injury and death when handled carelessly. Make the choice to practice safe driving by following a few tips Distraction.gov is promoting for April’s Distracted Driving Awareness month:

  • Texting – Texting takes up a lot of mental energy that’s better used to focus on the road. Avoid texting while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, and if you need to send something, wait until you are safely pulled over.
  • Talking on your cell phone – Having a conversation with someone on the phone requires attention. Wait to make your phone calls until you pull over.
  • Grooming – If you’ve ever driven past someone who was brushing their hair or their teeth while driving, you’ll have probably rolled your eyes at their multi-tasking. It’s safer for everyone on the road to keep your hairbrush at home or use it when safely parked.
  • Using GPS – With full screen GPS devices on the dash of newer vehicles and smartphones with maps in every hand, it’s easy to get distracted when trying to find your way. Let the voice controls guide you when driving and avoid looking at the screen.

When it comes to distracted driving, the facts speak for themselves. Make sure that you or your loved ones don’t become a statistic and keep your eyes, and your focus, on the road when you’re behind the wheel.

Filed Under: Opinion, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , , , ,

Canada Tests New IID Pilot Program

April 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Canada Ignition Interlock LawTwo communities in Northern Canada are the latest to implement a new pilot program for ignition interlock devices. Headed by the NWT Department of Transportation, the Alcohol Interlock Ignition Program is pending approval by Michael Conway, registrar of Motor vehicles, and should be in place in Hay River within the next 3 to 6 months.

The Hay River and Yellowknife locations were selected for the Alcohol Interlock Ignition Program for a few reasons. Statistics data shows that in 2012, the North West Territories and Yukon have the highest drunk driving rates in Canada. 40 drivers have been charged with impaired driving in Hay River each single year, with 7 individuals already charged in the first 3 months of 2013. Plus, Hay River is located close to other communities and has a large business base, which puts a large amount of people in danger from intoxicated drivers on the road.

If convicted individuals volunteer for the Interlock Ignition Program, they can reduce their driving prohibition and are able to get back to work more quickly than if they choose not to install an IID. Other jurisdictions in Canada have seen a reduction in drunk driving from 50 to 90 per cent with this program, and it’s the hope of the Hay River and Yellowknife communities that they will see a similar drop in impaired driving.

Filed Under: Laws, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: ,

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

National Distracted Driving Awareness MonthDriving can be a carefree way to get from point A to point B, but there are a lot of dangers you can encounter when you’re out on the road. Driving under the influence is one of those, with drunk drivers causing injuries and death on a daily basis, but people simply picking up a cell phone and talking or texting while driving are also causing a growing number of accidents.

That’s why April is Distracted Driving Awareness month with Focus Driven, a group who are advocates for cell-free driving, partnering with Team One to create awareness about distracted driving and bring safety to the road. Given the statistics of cell phone use and traffic safety put together by NHTSA, spreading awareness is vital:

  • 5,474 people were killed in 2009 due to distracted driving, with 995 reported fatalities due to distraction caused by a cell phone.
  • 448,000 people were injured in 2009, with 24,000 said to involve reports of a cell phone being the tool of distraction during the crash.
  • 70% of people who responded to the 2010 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey said they have talked on a cell phone in the car in the last 30 days, even though 2 out of 3 responders state that using cell phones while driving could threaten their safety on the road.

All it takes is a split second of distraction while driving and you could permanently affect your life and the life of someone else by causing injury or death. Take the opportunity this April to focus on the road and be aware of the dangers of distracted driving.

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This Prom Season Talk with Teens About the Dangers of Binge Drinking

March 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Prom SeasonSpring has sprung, the flowers are blooming, and prom season is right around the corner. Although this time of year means shopping for dresses, suits, and corsages in preparation for the biggest event of the school year, it’s also a great time to brush up and remind your teen about the dangers of binge drinking and driving under the influence.

When it comes to teen drinking, statistics speak for themselves. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 10.4 million young people between the ages of 12 and 20 have experimented with drinking, and young people tend to drink to excess when they do indulge in alcoholic beverages, especially on occasions like Prom. The result of teens binge drinking is an increase in serious injuries and death from alcohol-related car crashes. In fact, over 5000 people under 21 die each year from causes related to under-age drinking, and 190,000 teens end up in the emergency room for injuries relating to alcohol.

Not only does drinking alcohol to excess put your teen at risk for injury or death, but alcohol can also impair their judgment to the point where they make serious errors in judgment like alcohol-fueled violence or sexual assault. This Prom season, protect your child by arming them with knowledge about the perils of underage drinking, and you’ll ensure they will have a safe and memorable Prom.

Filed Under: Drunk Driving, Opinion, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , , , ,

The NHTSA’s 3-Step Approach to Teen Driving Safety

March 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Underage DrinkersFor most parents, the idea of their teen getting behind the wheel of a car is a scary prospect. Not only do they have to learn the rules of the road, but they also need to be aware of the potential outcome of drinking and driving. Because the chance of teens being involved in motor vehicle accidents causing fatality and injury is so high,  the NHTSA teen driving safety plan has focused on three priority areas to prevent the likelihood of such accidents.

The first area of focus is Access to Alcohol. Although they are under the minimum drinking age, statistics show that as much as 31% of teen drivers involved fatal accidents were drinking. NHTSA’s plan is to provide direction to adults in order to better educate parents on the risks of purchasing alcohol for teens. For youth, they’ll distribute tamper-proof licenses and enforce under age drinking laws, as well as giving direction to alcohol vendors and put community programs in place.

Graduated Driver Licensing is the second area of focus for NHTSA, as inexperienced, teen drivers are involved in many more fatal crashes than experienced drivers. Graduated Driver Licensing will address this issue by reducing time behind the wheel for novice drivers.

It’s startling to consider that in the 16-24 age group category, as many as 80% of individuals stated they were not using seat belts on a regular basis. As well, 56% of teens involved in fatal car crashes were not buckled up. As the third step in the approach to teen safety while driving, NHTSA is focusing on improving seat belt use in teens.

With these core strategies in place, it’s hopeful that the road will be a safer place not only for teen drivers, but also for everyone behind the wheel.

Filed Under: Drunk Driving, Opinion, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , , ,

DUI Risks for Senior Citizens

March 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Senior Citizens DUISenior Citizens may be unaware they are driving under the influence

When you think about it, today’s senior citizens have endured much more in their longer lifetimes than the average middle-aged person, and that includes experiences behind the wheel. Unfortunately not every skill gets better with age and knowledge, and senior citizens definitely have a bad reputation when it comes to driving.

With research by AAA showing data that by the year 2030, 1 in 5 drivers in the United States will be over the age of 65, there’s never been a better time to brush up on the facts relating to dangerous driving by senior citizens. Here are a few reasons why experience behind the wheel doesn’t factor in when you get older:

Vision and Reaction Difficulties

Aging isn’t fun, and often we’re the last people to notice something we take for granted, like perfect vision, is declining. No matter if they have pulled overnighters behind the wheel for years, driving can begin to suffer if a senior has issues with night vision or depth perception. As well, the ability to react to fast paced situations slows down when someone is aging, so those quick reactions when in a tense driving situation aren’t quite as quick now.

Senior Citizens and DUI

Did you know that your body’s ability to metabolize alcoholic beverages declines as you age? Although someone over the age of 65 may have been able to have a few drinks then get behind the wheel without incident 20 years before, they don’t have the same capacity to handle the alcohol in their system now. Alcohol is also known to adversely amplify the effects of medication, resulting in seniors unknowingly getting behind the wheel well over the legal limit.

All it takes is one or two drinks and a senior citizen can be charged with driving under the influence, even though they haven’t done anything differently than they did in the past.

Yes, senior citizens have a wealth of wisdom and knowledge to share with the younger generation. But if you know and love someone who is a senior citizen, be sure to keep an eye on his or her driving habits and make them aware of the limitations of aging while behind the wheel.

Filed Under: Drunk Driving, Studies and Analysis Tagged With: , ,

Survey Shows Over 25% of Minors Drink Alcohol

December 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

According to a report released last week by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over a quarter of the U.S. population who is too young to legally consume alcohol, is drinking anyway.

There has been progress in reducing the extent of underage drinking in recent years, particularly among minors 17 and younger, but the rates of underage drinking are still very high.

Underage DrinkingThe latest research, compiled from 2008 through 2010, shows the 26.6 percent of minors ages 12-20 are drinking alcohol. It also showed that 8.7 percent of these teens are purchasing the alcohol they consume.

All 50 states in the U.S. as well as the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting the purchase and consumption of alcohol beverages by anyone under 21 years of age.

The report was separated by state and showed that Utah has the nation’s lowest rate of underage drinking, with 14.3 percent of Utah’s minors stating they drank alcohol in the previous month.  That’s 6 percent behind the next closest state – Tennessee.  Other states with low consumption rates include South Carolina, Alabama and Indiana.

Meanwhile, Vermont had the highest rate of underage drinking with 37% of minors in the state reporting alcohol consumption in the last month.  Other states with high consumption include New Hampshire, North Dakota, Montana and Rhode Island.

New Mexico had the lowest incidence of minors purchasing their own alcohol at 2.5 percent.  Other states with low incidents of purchase include Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Tennessee.

New York had the highest purchase rates at 15 percent, followed by Louisiana, North Carolina, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

SAMHSA is a public health agency that is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

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