Preview

Driving While Intoxicated

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1795 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Driving While Intoxicated
Driving While Intoxicated Paper

Claudia Ortiz

Ms. Turner – GOVT 2302

Driving While Intoxicated Paper

As we all know driving while intoxicated (DWI) can be very dangerous for both the sober driver and the intoxicated driver. Some of us, if not all of us have seen, known, and even experienced someone driving while intoxicated. There have been stories about drunk drivers on the news and other types of media that shock society. . Many times, the outcome of driving while intoxicated cause irreparable damage to one or all involved in the incident. Fortunately, society is continues to work hard in doing what is best to stop and avoid DWI from becoming a growing problem and destroying more lives.

What does it mean to drive while intoxicated? When an intoxicated driver gets pulled over by law enforcement on a routine drunk driving stop, and the police officer suspects intoxication, a field sobriety test may be conducted. The driver must perform simple physical or cognitive tests to determine sobriety. A sobriety field test consist of quick exams to that notify the officer the officer of intoxication, and are known as the following: horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk and turn, and the one leg stand (Standardized Field Sobriety Testing). If these tests are failed the driver is automatically taken into custody, their car will be towed, and will be handed documentation suspending their license for three months. Once in custody, a breathalyzer exam or a blood exam is also given to the driver.

Breathalyzer and blood exams are very important when dealing with someone who is suspected of DWI. These exams determine the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC). In Texas, the BAC use to be at 0.10, but Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) contended that the level of intoxication permitted by states with .10 BAC laws allows for dangerously impaired driving, and that adopting the .08 BAC limit in every state will save over 500 lives each year

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Drunk driving can be very deadly. Yet many people drive while under the influence everyday. Drivers who are drunk are blamed for the loss of as many as twentyfive thousand lives in highway crashes…

    • 872 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Drunk driving is a major conflict in our communities, states, and our nation overall. This is senseless act takes the lives of too many children and teens as well as adults-innocent people.…

    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although you can be arrested with a BAC that is lower than 0.08 percent, a prosecutor will have a harder time proving your impairment. If your BAC is close to 0.07, the prosecutor may be able to argue that it was higher while you were driving and decreased before you were tested. Juries are generally not sympathetic to drunk drivers, so a low BAC does not necessarily mean that you will be able to escape from the charges.…

    • 377 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In New York State, the crime Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) consists of an individual testing a Blood Alcohol Level (BAC) of .08 or higher. Producing a BAC of .05 to .07, or any other evidence of impairment results in Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI). Both DWI and DWAI offenses carry with it a range of penalties and consequences. First offenders for DWI and DWAI are fined $500-1000 by the DMV, face a maximum jail sentence of one year, and their license is revoked for at least six months. This A misdemeanor is accompanied by additional costs through court surcharges. Two time offenders within 10 years face up to four years in jail and license is revoked for 18 months in addition to receiving an E felony . Aggravated DWI occurs when a motorist operating a vehicle tests .18 BAC or higher. Individuals convicted of this offense (A-DWI) face a year revocation of their driver's license and up to a year in jail. When a driver is stopped by a police officer under the assumption of DWI, it is common that the officer asks the individual to blow into a breathalyzer, a test that records BAC. However, a driver has the option to refuse the breathalyzer, they usually receive an automatic year revocation of their license and civil monetary penalties, higher if a commercial driver. For some drivers, the lengthy suspensions and monetary penalties are not enough. In New York state, pleading guilty or being convicted of a DWI carries a mandatory probation sentence.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    First, one of the early laws that were imposed was reducing the blood alcohol level (BAC) from .10 to .08. MADD also promoted the use of the Victim Impact Panel (VIP) in which a judge implements first offenders to listen to victims and/or their families of drunk drivers related their experiences. In 2002, MADD announced their 8 point plan which includes: Resuscitate the nation 's efforts to prevent impaired driving; increase driving while intoxicated (DWI)/driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement, especially the use of frequent, highly publicized sobriety checkpoints; enforce seat belt laws; create tougher, more comprehensive sanctions geared toward higher-risk drivers; develop a dedicated National Traffic Safety Fund; reduce underage drinking; increase beer excise taxes to the same level as those for spirits; reinvigorate court monitoring…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    (Houston, Texas) CarInsuranceComparison.com released a graphic in 2016 showing the ten worst states in terms of driving under the influence. Fortunately, Texas did not rank in the top ten, but individuals shouldn't get too excited. The state came in 14th in the nation in terms of the prevalence of drunk driving. The study took into account factors such as the number of DUI arrests, the quantity of DUI laws, the number of penalties associated with a conviction for DUI and the cost per fatality, along with others. Individuals who are charged with and convicted of driving under the influence face numerous penalties, even those for whom it is a first offense. For this reason, anyone arrested for this crime need to speak to…

    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Driving under the influences (D.U.I.), which means driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or any drugs. This causes the driver to lose control of operating the vehicle correctly which puts other drivers in danger. In other states this action is called Driving while intoxicated (D.W.I.). When the driver drink too much alcohol it causes them to have blood alcohol concentration. This gives the driver a fresh red appearance in their face. Also they take blood to see how much alcohol in your blood stream.…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Due to alcohol having such a drastic affect on a person's mind, the chances of driving safely while intoxicated are almost impossible. In today’s world, drunk drivers or pedestrians are involved in about 32% of all fatal car accidents (“Driving While Impaired…”). Being intoxicated while driving affects people’s ability to make smart and safe decisions in a short amount…

    • 1825 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rough Draft Driving

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages

    This blood alcohol concentration level is determined when a person is legally drunk. A person is not permitted to operate a vehicle when this limit is reached. The limit for all 50 states for the blood alcohol concentration level is .0843. Anything over the limit while operating a moving vehicle can cause you a big fine or a long time in jail. Some states require a breath analyzer to operate a vehicle after a DUI has already been done before. The drinking age limit is at 21, though teens far younger manage to get ahold of alcohol, being an additional nuisance to the drinking and driving conflict. The numbers of accidents have been dropping for a number of reasons. The states have taken some effective measures such as immediate license suspension, lowering the blood alcohol concentration legal level from .01 to .08 for adults and for people under age 21. Other's such as sobriety checkpoints, public education, community awareness, and media campaigns about the dangers of alcohol-impaired driving. In addition some strategies should be considered, such as plan for injury prevention and control. Such strategies include changing the social norm to make alcohol-impaired driving socially unacceptable, limiting alcohol availability among under aged youth, a alcohol service training for those who sell and serve alcohol, early alcohol treatment and rehabilitation programs, offering alternative transportation programs for those of the legal drinking age States like California have raised the penalty for misdemeanor drunk driving offenses to a maximum $1000 fine and one year in jail. In July, a state law took effect requiring twice-convicted drunk drivers to equip their cars with a breath analysis device that prevents them from starting their engines if they have a blood-alcohol level higher than .02%. And after Jan. 1, people under the age of 21 caught driving with a bold-alcohol level .01% or greater will…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Drinking and driving has many consequences that can destroy people's lives. Intoxicated victims of car crashes sustain worse injuries and are more likely to be seriously injured than sober victims. Drinking while driving is a serious crime all over the world, most of these victims are teenagers. If a driver is pulled over for driving in a manner that suggests possible intoxication, law enforcement officers can employ a variety of methods to determine if the driver is driving under the influence. Police may ask the driver to complete field sobriety tests, such as walking in a straight line or standing on one leg.…

    • 1300 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    DUI is defined in Illinois as operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs, including medically prescribed marijuana. Since mid-July 1997, Illinois has used a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 percent or above as the standard definition of DUI. An individual with a BAC between 0.05 percent and 0.08 percent can be convicted of DUI if there is additional evidence of impairment.…

    • 1186 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Distracted Drivers

    • 493 Words
    • 2 Pages

    One of the most dangerous road hazards is drunk driving. People who drink any type of alcohol should never be allowed to drive because of their inability to focus as good as when being sober. Drinking and driving can put the person’s life at risk as well as other driver’s life on the road.…

    • 493 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Drinking and Driving

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Some solutions to reduce drinking driving problems are to lower the blood alcohol content (BAC) for the…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Drinking and Driving

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Those injured and killed in drunk driving collisions are not accident victims. The crashes caused by impaired drivers involve two choices: to drink AND to drive. The injuries and deaths sustained each year by drunk driving can be prevented. Those who choose to drive while impaired, have been informed of the dangers, however, decide to ignore the harsh facts. They will eventually end up facing injury or death to themselves or, even worse, someone else. This is a reality some choose to ignore until they are forced to live or die along with the consequences.…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The definition of impaired driving is: driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and fatigue. These influences can affect how you drive. For example, people might have blurry eyes, slow reaction time, and a lack of judgement and won’t be as focus as normally. Impaired driving can result in various types of consequences, license suspension, jail time or fines. For example, the minimum sentences for a first offence are a $1000 fine and a 12 month driving prohibition. However if someone is hurt or killed the sentences may be higher. They are many ways to prevent impaired driving such as; don’t drink and drive and don’t let friends do it either, if you drink call a cab or ask a friend that didn’t drink to drive you home.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays