Few people in Nebraska will doubt that a lot has changed in the way society views and deals with people who drive after drinking alcohol. Despite the millions of dollars spent on educational programs and public awareness campaigns, drunk driving is still a problem that law enforcement deals with regularly. A recent study reveals some interesting facts about the state of drunk driving prevention and the drivers most likely to risk getting behind the wheel after drinking.
The reasons why people drive drunk may not be surprising. Most people who drive after drinking are trying to get home. However, about 25 percent of the respondents admit heading to another bar or to a liquor store when they were probably too drunk to drive. The problem is that, apparently, many younger drivers do not realize when they have had too much to drink. They may feel fine, but their blood alcohol concentration is over the legal limit.
Millennials may be more comfortable with the options available to them to avoid driving drunk. While past generations may have been limited to taxi cabs and designated drivers, modern options include ride-sharing apps in addition to apps and personal devices for approximating one’s BAC before getting into a car. Nevertheless, millennials made up over 67 percent of those in the study who admitted to having driven drunk. Those between the ages of 20 and 37 generally had a higher BAC than older drivers.
Although technology has improved many aspects of law enforcement, the instruments and methods most agencies use to determine a person’s BAC or level of sobriety are often questionable. In fact, in a court of law, many charged with drunk driving can successfully challenge the results of a breath or blood test if they have the right advocate to represent their case. Many in Nebraska find that having an experienced attorney by their side makes all the difference.
Source: NBC, “Drunk Drivers Are Usually Buying More Booze or on Their Way to a Booty Call”, Nicole Spector, May 9, 2017
Cheap Car Insurance, “http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/sober-enough-to-drive/”, April 3, 2017