ASK DR.MOORE May 18,
2004
The following article is republished for prom season. Talk
to your children. Know your children.
Underage Drinking and the Prom--My Worst Prom Ever
I was 16 years old. My high school prom should have been the
happiest day of my life, but it was the worst. That was the
day I died.
We never made it to the dance. There was a party beforehand
and everyone was drinking. Someone spiked the punch bowl. Parents
looked the other way.
You knew but you drove anyway. Skidding tires followed by a
deafening crash of metal and glass. The flash of fear in my
eyes lasted only a moment, then, the sparkle was extinguished
forever. In that instant, every bone in my body was broken.
So were the hearts of my family and friends whose lives were
shattered that day.
Teen-aged drinking is not cool. It kills.
http://www.simpleplan.com/untitled/
-- this video by Rock Band Simple Plan titled "Untitled"
(How could this happen to me?) hits home with its chilling rendition
of a fatal drunk driving accident.
"A child who reaches
age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using drugs
is virtually certain never to do so."
- Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and
President, The National Center on Addiction and Substance
Abuse at Columbia University |
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Ask Dr Moore Columns
|
Drunk Driving Statistics
Total Traffic Fatalities vs. Alcohol Related
Traffic Fatalities - 1982-2004
Calendar
Year |
Total
Killed in
Alcohol Related Crashes |
Total
Killed in
All Traffic Crashes |
| Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| 1982 |
26,173 |
60% |
43,945 |
100.0% |
| 1983 |
24,635 |
58% |
42,589 |
100.0% |
| 1984 |
24,762 |
56% |
44,257 |
100.0% |
| 1985 |
23,167 |
53% |
43,825 |
100.0% |
| 1986 |
25,017 |
54% |
46,087 |
100.0% |
| 1987 |
24,094 |
52% |
46,390 |
100.0% |
| 1988 |
23,833 |
51% |
47,087 |
100.0% |
| 1989 |
22,424 |
49% |
45,582 |
100.0%
|
| 1990 |
22,587 |
51% |
44,599 |
100.0% |
| 1991 |
20,159 |
49% |
41,508 |
100.0% |
| 1992 |
18,290 |
47% |
39,250 |
100.0% |
| 1993 |
17,908 |
45% |
40,150 |
100.0% |
| 1994 |
17,308 |
43% |
40,716 |
100.0% |
| 1995 |
17,732
|
42% |
41,817 |
100.0% |
| 1996 |
17,749 |
42% |
42,065 |
100.0% |
| 1997 |
16,711 |
40% |
42,013 |
100.0% |
| 1998 |
16,673 |
40% |
41,501 |
100.0% |
| 1999 |
16,572 |
40% |
41,717 |
100.0% |
| 2000 |
17,380 |
41% |
41,945 |
100.0% |
| 2001 |
17,400 |
41% |
42,196 |
100.0% |
| 2002 |
17,524 |
41% |
43,005 |
100.0% |
| 2003 |
17,105 |
40% |
42,884 |
100.0% |
| 2004 |
16,694 |
39% |
42,636 |
100.0% |
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration FARS data |
|
Driving under the influence, drunk
driving, or drink-driving, is the act
of operating a motor vehicle (and sometimes a bicycle or similar
human-powered vehicle) after having consumed alcohol (ethanol)
or other drugs, to the degree that mental and motor skills are
impaired. In addition to driving under the influence of alcohol
and driving under the influence of other drugs, a third "DUI"
offense consists of driving under the combined influence of alcohol
and other drugs. The drugs causing or contributing to the impairment
need not be illegal, but can consist of lawfully prescribed or
over-the-counter medication. Anti-drunk-driving advertising campaigns
have aimed to raise awareness of the legal situation and the dangers
of driving while intoxicated. Drunk-driving is responsible for
a very large number of deaths, injuries, damage and accidents
every year.
The specific criminal offence of drinking and
driving may be called, depending on the jurisdiction, driving
while intoxicated (DWI), driving while impaired (also DWI), operating
while intoxicated (OWI), operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated
(OMVI), driving under the influence [of alcohol or other drugs]
(DUI), driving under the combined influence of alcohol and/or
other drugs or drunk in charge [of a vehicle]. Such laws may also
apply to boating, or piloting aircraft.
Historically, presumptive guilt was established
by subjective tests of the driver's impairment, such as difficulty
reciting the alphabet or walking a straight line. Starting with
the introduction in Norway in 1936 of the world’s first
per se law which made it an offense to drive with more than a
specified amount of alcohol in the body, objective chemical tests
have gradually replaced the earlier purely judgmental ones. The
statute usually specifies that it is illegal to drive with a blood
alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding a value sepcified in the
statute. BAC is most conveniently measured as a simple percent
of alcohol in the blood by weight. It does not depend on any units
of measurement. In Europe it is usually expressed as milligrams
of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. However, 100 milliliters
of blood weighs essentially the same as 100 milliliters of water,
which weighs precisely 100 grams. Thus, for all practical purposes,
this is the same as the simple dimensionless BAC measured as a
percent. Since 2002 it is illegal to drive in any US state with
a BAC that is greater then 0.08%; in Sweden, 0.02%.
Driving while consuming alcohol is generally illegal.
In some jurisdictions it is also illegal for an open container
of an alcoholic beverage to be in the passenger compartment of
a motor vehicle or in some specific area of that compartment.
source: wikipedia.org
Links and Resources:
Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Students
Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
Boaters
Against Drunk Driving (BADD)
Impaired
Driving Facts - NCIPC
DUI.Com
Drunk
Driving Laws
Focus
Adolescent Services: Teen Drinking
Prom
Night Tips to aviod Drunk Driving
The Century
Council
Prom Tips From The Century Council
|
State-By-State Traffic Fatalities - 2004
| STATE |
2004 Total
Traffic
Deaths
|
2004 Alcohol
Related
Deaths
|
Percent
Alcohol-
Related
|
2004 Fatalities
Involving a
.08+ BAC driver
|
Percent of
2004 Fatalities
Involving a
.08+ BAC driver
|
| Alabama |
1,154
|
442
|
38%
|
367
|
32%
|
| Alaska |
101
|
31
|
31%
|
28
|
28%
|
| Arizona |
1,150
|
435
|
38%
|
322
|
28%
|
| Arkansas |
704
|
276
|
39%
|
219
|
31%
|
| California |
4,120
|
1,643
|
40%
|
1,154
|
28%
|
| Colorado |
665
|
259
|
39%
|
194
|
29%
|
| Connecticut |
291
|
127
|
44%
|
106
|
36%
|
| Delaware |
134
|
51
|
38%
|
39
|
29%
|
| Dist of Columbia |
43
|
18
|
41%
|
11
|
26%
|
| Florida |
3,244
|
1,222
|
38%
|
865
|
27%
|
| Georgia |
1,634
|
525
|
32%
|
392
|
24%
|
| Hawaii |
142
|
65
|
46%
|
46
|
32%
|
| Idaho |
260
|
93
|
36%
|
76
|
29%
|
| Illinois |
1,356
|
604
|
45%
|
467
|
34%
|
| Indiana |
947
|
299
|
32%
|
236
|
25%
|
| Iowa |
390
|
110
|
28%
|
86
|
22%
|
| Kansas |
461
|
148
|
32%
|
118
|
26%
|
| Kentucky |
964
|
308
|
32%
|
256
|
27%
|
| Louisiana |
904
|
414
|
46%
|
312
|
35%
|
| Maine |
194
|
70
|
36%
|
58
|
30%
|
| Maryland |
643
|
286
|
45%
|
209
|
33%
|
| Massachusetts |
476
|
203
|
43%
|
164
|
34%
|
| Michigan |
1,159
|
430
|
37%
|
329
|
28%
|
| Minnesota |
567
|
184
|
32%
|
160
|
28%
|
| Mississippi |
900
|
341
|
38%
|
302
|
34%
|
| Missouri |
1,130
|
449
|
40%
|
359
|
32%
|
| Montana |
229
|
106
|
46%
|
97
|
42%
|
| Nebraska |
254
|
92
|
36%
|
75
|
30%
|
| Nevada |
395
|
152
|
39%
|
107
|
27%
|
| New Hampshire |
171
|
59
|
35%
|
50
|
29%
|
| New Jersey |
731
|
270
|
37%
|
191
|
26%
|
| New Mexico |
521
|
211
|
40%
|
153
|
29%
|
| New York |
1,493
|
587
|
39%
|
419
|
28%
|
| North Carolina |
1,557
|
553
|
35%
|
425
|
27%
|
| North Dakota |
100
|
39
|
39%
|
34
|
34%
|
| Ohio |
1,286
|
492
|
38%
|
391
|
30%
|
| Oklahoma |
774
|
278
|
36%
|
223
|
29%
|
| Oregon |
456
|
199
|
44%
|
145
|
32%
|
| Pennsylvania |
1,490
|
614
|
41%
|
512
|
34%
|
| Rhode Island |
83
|
42
|
50%
|
37
|
45%
|
| South Carolina |
1,046
|
464
|
44%
|
369
|
35%
|
| South Dakota |
197
|
86
|
44%
|
74
|
38%
|
| Tennessee |
1,288
|
519
|
40%
|
420
|
33%
|
| Texas |
3,583
|
1,642
|
46%
|
1,264
|
35%
|
| Utah |
296
|
72
|
24%
|
65
|
22%
|
| Vermont |
98
|
32
|
32%
|
19
|
19%
|
| Virginia |
925
|
359
|
39%
|
279
|
30%
|
| Washington |
563
|
246
|
44%
|
203
|
36%
|
| West Virginia |
411
|
136
|
33%
|
103
|
25%
|
| Wisconsin |
792
|
358
|
45%
|
296
|
37%
|
| Wyoming |
164
|
59
|
36%
|
51
|
31%
|
| National |
42,636
|
16,694
|
39%
|
12,874
|
30%
|
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 2005 |
|
Fatalities and Alcohol-Related Fatalities among 15-20 Year
Olds - 2003 v. 2002
|
2003 Fatalities |
2003 Alcohol-Related
Fatalities |
2002 Fatalities |
2002 Alcohol-Related
Fatalities |
Increase/Decrease in Alcohol-Related Fatalities |
|
Number |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Number |
Percent |
| Alabama |
149 |
61 |
41 |
153 |
54 |
35 |
13% |
| Alaska |
15 |
4 |
25 |
12 |
3 |
28 |
33% |
| Arizona |
141 |
56 |
40 |
147 |
71 |
48 |
-21% |
| Arkansas |
81 |
33 |
40 |
98 |
32 |
33 |
3% |
| California |
612 |
190 |
31 |
650 |
226 |
35 |
-16% |
| Colorado |
110 |
32 |
29 |
121 |
42 |
34 |
-24% |
| Connecticut |
49 |
16 |
33 |
61 |
25 |
40 |
-36% |
| Delaware |
29 |
10 |
34 |
18 |
3 |
17 |
233% |
| DC |
10 |
4 |
42 |
3 |
2 |
53 |
100% |
| Florida |
411 |
120 |
29 |
381 |
141 |
37 |
-15% |
| Georgia |
236 |
49 |
21 |
216 |
55 |
25 |
-11% |
| Hawaii |
22 |
17 |
77 |
17 |
10 |
58 |
70% |
| Idaho |
46 |
16 |
34 |
36 |
9 |
26 |
78% |
| Illinois |
238 |
96 |
40 |
222 |
94 |
42 |
2% |
| Indiana |
138 |
38 |
28 |
141 |
35 |
25 |
9% |
| Iowa |
72 |
30 |
42 |
55 |
21 |
38 |
43% |
| Kansas |
87 |
41 |
47 |
104 |
51 |
49 |
-20% |
| Kentucky |
122 |
24 |
20 |
165 |
46 |
28 |
-48% |
| Louisiana |
135 |
55 |
41 |
144 |
61 |
42 |
-10% |
| Maine |
22 |
5 |
24 |
38 |
9 |
24 |
-44% |
| Maryland |
94 |
40 |
42 |
83 |
28 |
33 |
43% |
| Massachusetts |
76 |
44 |
58 |
67 |
34 |
50 |
29% |
| Michigan |
180 |
62 |
34 |
208 |
54 |
26 |
15% |
| Minnesota |
109 |
31 |
28 |
108 |
41 |
38 |
-24% |
| Mississippi |
112 |
34 |
30 |
132 |
30 |
23 |
13% |
| Missouri |
202 |
73 |
36 |
196 |
66 |
34 |
11% |
| Montana |
44 |
19 |
43 |
39 |
16 |
40 |
19% |
| Nebraska |
50 |
20 |
39 |
64 |
22 |
35 |
-9% |
| Nevada |
61 |
27 |
45 |
53 |
21 |
39 |
29% |
| New Hampshire |
26 |
11 |
40 |
12 |
3 |
28 |
267% |
| New Jersey |
84 |
32 |
38 |
94 |
29 |
30 |
10% |
| New Mexico |
61 |
24 |
39 |
81 |
40 |
50 |
-40% |
| New York |
211 |
75 |
35 |
242 |
58 |
24 |
29% |
| North Carolina |
228 |
66 |
29 |
226 |
64 |
28 |
3% |
| North Dakota |
18 |
14 |
76 |
21 |
13 |
62 |
8% |
| Ohio |
217 |
63 |
29 |
229 |
64 |
28 |
-2% |
| Oklahoma |
89 |
28 |
31 |
123 |
35 |
28 |
-20% |
| Oregon |
82 |
27 |
33 |
66 |
18 |
28 |
50% |
| Pennsylvania |
277 |
87 |
31 |
281 |
96 |
34 |
-9% |
| Rhode Island |
21 |
13 |
60 |
12 |
5 |
44 |
160% |
| South Carolina |
124 |
51 |
41 |
155 |
71 |
46 |
-28% |
| South Dakota |
26 |
13 |
49 |
32 |
20 |
61 |
-35% |
| Tennessee |
175 |
58 |
33 |
209 |
71 |
34 |
-18% |
| Texas |
597 |
276 |
46 |
611 |
254 |
42 |
9% |
| Utah |
59 |
4 |
7 |
65 |
15 |
23 |
-73% |
| Vermont |
13 |
7 |
55 |
11 |
3 |
28 |
133% |
| Virginia |
131 |
51 |
39 |
174 |
62 |
36 |
-18% |
| Washington |
100 |
49 |
49 |
113 |
42 |
37 |
17% |
| West Virginia |
59 |
22 |
38 |
65 |
26 |
40 |
-15% |
| Wisconsin |
141 |
62 |
44 |
145 |
53 |
36 |
17% |
| Wyoming |
17 |
7 |
41 |
31 |
12 |
37 |
-42% |
| Total |
6,409 |
2,283 |
36 |
6,730 |
2,353 |
35 |
-3% |
Source: NHTSA FARS Query, 2004 |
