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Monday, 09 July 2018 13:19

What Is a DUI?

 

Driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol is one of the most deadly things a person can do. There is a significant amount of research to prove that driving performance and reaction times are severely affected by alcohol.


If you drink and drive, you are not only a hazard to yourself but also to your passenger, other highway users and pedestrians. In fact, every 30 minutes, someone in this country dies in an alcohol-related fatality. Last year alone more than one million people were injured in alcohol-related traffic collisions. Alcohol is a depressant that slows down body reactions and the functioning of the brain.

Each year drunk driving is liable for about 25% of these deaths. The dangers of drinking are alcohol-related collisions and violence. The effects of alcohol are inadequate coordination and slurred speech, double vision, a reduction of self-control loss of awareness and death.


There are legal outcomes due to drinking also. The more a person drinks, the more their ability to make major decisions becomes reduced. After just one drink, an operator can lose their capability to complete the tasks needed to drive a car. At a certain point, a driver will become illegally intoxicated and may be imprisoned for trying to operate a motor vehicle. In every state, there is a legal limit to how much alcohol you can have in your body if you are driving (South Carolina .08). If you drink and drive, you can lose your driver's license and even go to jail.


Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teens and young adults. More than 5,000 young people die every year in car accidents, and thousands more are harmed. Motorists who are 16 years old are more than 20 times as likely to have a collision. There are two main reasons why teens are at a higher risk of being in a car crash and lack of driving experience and their tendency to take chances while driving.

First teens tend to drive faster and do not operate the car as well as more experienced motorists. Their decision making in traffic is often inadequate to avoid a collision. Second, teens do most of their driving at night, which can be even more dangerous. Regular driver's education classes cover 30 hours of classroom teaching and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. This is not enough time to adequately train a new driver.


Teen drivers are more like to be influenced by peers and other distractions. This can lead to thoughtless driving practices such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and not wearing seatbelts.

There is no harmless amount that you can drink and still drive. Even one drink can affect your driving capabilities.  In many states, one can be convicted of DUI even though the police didn't see you drive. A person can face losing their license; having embarrassing court appearances, press coverage, and hefty fines. This is why it is essential to get professional representation as soon as possible.

Published in Firm News

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You should consult an attorney regarding your individual situation.

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