Are most alcohol-related crashes caused by repeat offenders?
No. It is true that drivers with prior convictions for driving while impaired by alcohol are over represented among drivers in fatal crashes. According to a federal study, drivers convicted of alcohol-impaired driving in the past three years are at least 1.8 times as likely to be in fatal crashes as drivers with no prior convictions during the same time period and are at least four times as likely to be in fatal crashes in which drivers have high BACs ( .10 percent or more). However, it is important to note that 87 percent of drivers with high BACs in fatal crashes have no alcohol convictions during the previous three years.
1. What is “drunk driving?” The term “drunk driving” is an inaccurate characterization of the problems caused by motorists who are impaired by alchol. The first criminal laws targeting this problem prohibited “drunk driving,” encouraging the notion that the problem involved drivers who were visibly drunk. In fact, many alcohol-impaired drivers do not appear drunk in the traditional way. Research has shown that even small amounts of alcohol can impair the skills involved in driving, but the persistent notion that the problem is predominantly one of drunk drivers has allowed many drinking drivers to decide they are not part of the problem. For these reasons, the term “alcohol-impaired driving” is a more accurate and precise description of what is commonly referred to as “drunk driving.” back to questions 2. What does blood alcohol concentration measure? • Child Passenger Safety Review tips and download brochures about air bags, car seats, and safety standards. From the National Highway T
