Don't Ruin Your Summer with a DUI

We have been warned. And yet, in the year 2016, over 13,000 people have taken the life of another or have been killed due to being under the influence of alcohol, legal or illegal drugs or texting and driving. In fact, between 2014 and 2017, we saw a rise in DUI deaths. It seems that no matter how many commercials on television, or programs that speak out against it, billboards with the ads hung high, stories in the newspaper or on the radio; nothing is making an impact. It seems neither the fines nor threat of arrest are a great enough deterrent. We are still watching as friends and family members are leaning over caskets or being helped to their feet when they have collapsed from the emotional pain of losing a loved one. These thoughtless actions leave friends and families reeling, and asking the question “Why” or “How could this happen?” The question itself comes down to one answer; the offender doesn’t think it is going to happen to them because they are being more careful than the rest.

Driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, and driving while using cell phones all have a similar effect. You can’t identify hazards as quickly, and you can’t respond as quickly to avoid collisions. For the average driver it takes three-fourths of a second to identify a problem ahead, and three-fourths of a second to apply the brakes. At sixty miles per hour you will travel 132 feet during that time. Then you will travel another 170 feet just coming to a stop after you have braked. From the time you first notice a problem, you will travel over 300 feet before you can get your car stopped! Even at only 30 miles per hour you will travel half the distance of a football field before you can stop your car.

Whether a person is driving distracted, or driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, reaction times are delayed and your judgement is being affected.

You weave, fail to observe street signs or drive slower or faster when you should be doing the opposite of both; these are all signs of distracted or under the influence driving. When a person is drunk, vision, hearing and judgment become impaired.

When a person is texting and driving, it takes about five seconds for them to respond back to a text with a simple O.K. At sixty miles per hour that is five seconds with their eyes off the road. This is 1.5 times length of a football field! There is no way for a person who is multi-tasking to give full attention to any task when their attention is split or when they are under the influence.

We are a nation of repeat offenders, and according to the Centers of Disease Control, a person who drives drunk does so an average of 80 times before they are caught! All fifty states have DUI laws where you will be charged for driving with a blood alcohol of 0.08%. You can be arrested if you are sitting in the driver’s seat drunk even if the keys are not in the ignition. The consequences of driving under the influence varies from state to state and that includes marijuana or drugs, whether illegal, prescription or over the counter medications. If you are convicted of driving under the influence, you could be facing fines of up to $5,000, a suspended driver’s license and jail time. Attorney fees can easily double that $5,000 fine.

Cell phone use while driving is on the rise. It is almost like an addiction to not be looking at your phone or checking it every few minutes. Instead of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, you are now under the influence of an electronic device. It is estimated that 82 percent of adults and 75 percent of teenagers are texting while driving. A texting driver is almost as dangerous as drunk driving in the way that even if it is just for a moment, your eyes are off the road completely. It is against the law in 46 states to be texting and driving. Over 3,100 people were killed last year from distracted driving. These distracted drivers are texting, checking for a text, changing music on their phone, talking and even taking selfies all while the car is in motion.

In Washington State, a new law came into effect one year ago, in August 2017. It bans people from using their cell phones while driving unless it is hands free. This law was brought to the table due to the amount of crashes and deaths that was occurring from distracted driving. Currently, if you are caught with the cell phone to your ear or texting and driving, you will be presented with a ticket for $136.00.

Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk!

Whether young or old, driving under the influence is not O.K. No matter what they think, a drunk driver is a danger to themselves and the rest of us.

For anyone who still doesn’t see the problem with driving drunk, high, or while texting, speak with someone who can’t hold their child anymore because the child was killed by a driver who was under the influence. The laws are there for a reason, no one wants to see their friend or family member in a casket due to negligence; due to something that could have been completely avoided!

If you’ve been drinking or taking drugs, please call a friend, Uber, Lyft, or a cab to get home.

If you feel the need to text, please pull over to the side of the road or wait until you reach your next destination.

No One’s Life is Worth a Drink or a Text.
Friends Don’t Let Friends Text and Drive!

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CAN BE DIRECTED TO DEPUTY David Morris OF THE CRIME PREVENTION UNIT OF THE SPOKANE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: DWMorris@SpokaneSheriff.org