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Drunk Driving and Alcohol
Treatment Programs
First, Some Startling
DUI Related Statistics
According to California
Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, DUI is
the most frequently committed crime in the United States. In 1999,
approximately 1.55 million people were arrested for driving under-the-influence
(DUI) of alcohol or other drugs.
It is estimated that alcohol and other
drugs are a factor in 45 percent of all fatal automobile
accidents and one-fifth of all accidents involving injury. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported
that in 2000, 41,821 people were killed on our nation's highways.
Also, alcohol-related injuries continue to be
a serious threat to both drivers and passengers on the road. Also
in 2000, over 300,000 people in the United States suffered injuries
in alcohol-related accidents.
About 3 in every 10 Americans will be involved
in an alcohol or drug related accident at some
time in their lives. A DUI related crash kills
someone every 33 minutes and injures someone every 2 minutes.
Traffic accidents are the greatest single cause of death for every
age between the ages of 6 and 27. Almost half of these fatalities
are a result of alcohol.
Drunk
Driving Accidents Impact Young People
The alcohol-related traffic fatality
rate for young people has been reduced by over 50 percent since
1988. However, young people are still over represented in fatal
crashes compared to the older population. One-third of all deaths
of people aged 15-20 years are caused by automobile crashes and
more than 35 percent of those fatalities are alcohol related.
In 2000, 2,339 youth died in DUI accidents.
DUI Penalties
DUI Fines/Penalties ...............................................................................................
$300 - $5,000
Jail Time/Community Service ............................................................................
2 days to 2 years
Driving Under The Influence Program
............................................................ 3,
18 or 30 months
License Suspension ......................................................................................
4 months to 5 years
DUI Costs
Costs for first time drunk driving
convictions have been estimated at more than $5,540. Actual costs
may vary. This amount does not include attorney fees or lost wages
or time due to court appearances or attending an alcohol
treatment program. The following is a conservative itemized
breakdown for a first drunk driving offense.
DUI Fines/Penalties
..........................................................................................................
$1,500
Tow/Impound Fees
...............................................................................................................
190
Driving Under The
Influence Program ....................................................................................
550
Insurance Increase
.............................................................................................................
2,700
Restitution Fund
...................................................................................................................
500
DMV Reissue Fee
...................................................................................................................
100
Total Approximate
Cost ...................................................................................................
$5,540
Beyond the tragedy of lost lives and painful
recovery from injuries, alcohol related accidents
exact a huge economic cost. In 1998, the financial costs associated
with alcohol-related crashes in the United States
was estimated at $110 billion annually in monetary and quality
of life costs. These costs can be significantly reduced with effective
alcohol treatment programs.
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