The number of fatalities from drunk driving fell once harsh penalties were put in place until the mid-1990s, when the decline stopped. While the progress is significant, it’s still crucial to remember that 7,100 more individuals would still be alive today in 2022 if all drivers on the road had blood alcohol concentrations below the legal limit.
Experts generally concur that deterrence is the most important factor in reducing the number of drunk drivers. People are less inclined to drive drunk if they think they will be caught. Let’s think about the prior solutions that have been effective in reducing future drunk driving. For a free legal consultation, call The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 if you were hurt in a drunk driving accident or if you lost a loved one.
Suspending the driver’s license
Administrative license suspension has been one of the most effective anti-drunk driving efforts. Most states allow the police to revoke a person’s license if they refuse to submit to an alcohol test or perform poorly on it. A lot of people are effectively discouraged by the prospect of losing their license.
Alcohol checkpoints
So long as certain requirements are satisfied, the US Supreme Court has supported sobriety checks. Although these checkpoints are required to be visible and well-publicized, they do not necessarily result in a significant number of arrests, which can deter people from taking the risk of drinking and driving. However, sobriety checkpoints are not permitted under all state legislation.
Raising the drinking age
Not that long ago, the legal drinking age was 18. Today, the legal drinking age is 21, and one of the strongest justifications for raising it was the decrease in drunk driving accidents. Raising the legal drinking age for these young drivers was said to reduce the number of drunk driving incidents because younger drivers have substantially higher crash risks than older drivers.
Interlocks devices
If found guilty of drunk driving, a person is often required to install an interlock device in their car. To start their car, they must do this by breathing into the system. The car won’t start if they’ve been drinking. Numerous studies have demonstrated how these tools can lessen drunk driving and save lives.
Are there any upcoming changes to the laws governing marijuana-impaired driving?
It will be necessary to establish new regulations as marijuana becomes legal. Because there is no accurate test to identify whether a person is under the influence at any particular time, this is more complicated than drunk driving. This is largely because marijuana remains in a person’s system for a lot longer than alcohol does.
For a free legal consultation if you were hurt in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, call The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000.
