| On July 28, 2006, actor Mel Gibson was | | | | of all fatal crashes during the week in 2003, |
| arrested on suspicion of driving under the | | | | but this percentage rose significantly over |
| influence of alcohol after being stopped for | | | | the weekends, during which 53 percent of car |
| speeding in his 2006 Lexus LS 430 on Pacific | | | | accidents were alcohol-related. |
| Coast Highway in Malibu, California. Gibson | | | | |
| was stopped on the coast highway at 2:09 a.m. | | | | DUI is perhaps the most preventable traffic |
| Friday after a Los Angeles County deputy | | | | safety problem. No one is compelled to drink |
| sheriff allegedly observed him driving his | | | | alcohol and drive. But alcohol and driving |
| car at more than 85 mph. A breath test | | | | are so deeply connected in American culture |
| indicated Gibson's blood-alcohol level was | | | | that the problem is unlikely to stop. This |
| 0.12 percent, based on police records. In | | | | act, since drivers are impaired, can easily |
| California, a driver is considered legally | | | | be one of the main cause for |
| intoxicated at 0.08 percent. | | | | self-destruction. |
| | | | |
| Mel Gibson is just one of the famous | | | | Still, there has been success in recent years |
| celebrities who were apprehended because of | | | | in reducing the incidence of DUI. In 1980, |
| drunk driving. Other celebrities who were | | | | nearly 60% of fatal crashes had alcohol as a |
| arrested for such an act are Nicole Ritchie, | | | | factor. By 1993, that number had dropped to |
| Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohay, and Nick Nolte | | | | 43%. In the ensuing years the frequency of |
| whose now infamous mug shot has become almost | | | | DUI as measured in the fatal crash index |
| a symbol for Hollywood's out-of-control | | | | remained relatively steady overall. But it |
| lifestyle and culture. | | | | now appears to be on the rise overall, with |
| | | | marked spikes among certain groups. Recently, |
| Drunk driving is the act of operating or | | | | alcohol-related deaths are reported to have |
| driving a motor vehicle while under the | | | | risen for the third year running, according |
| influence of alcohol and/or drugs to the | | | | to the latest statistics from the NHTSA. |
| degree that mental and motor skills are | | | | |
| impaired. Drunk driving is a serious | | | | Driving while consuming alcohol is generally |
| misdemeanor in the United States. The | | | | illegal, though driving after drinking |
| specific criminal offense is usually called | | | | remains legal. In some jurisdictions it is |
| driving under the influence of alcohol and/or | | | | also illegal for an open container of an |
| other drugs (DUI). | | | | alcoholic beverage to be in the passenger |
| | | | compartment of a motor vehicle or in some |
| In 2005, according to the Department of | | | | specific area of the compartment. |
| Justice, nearly 1.4 million drivers were | | | | |
| arrested for driving under the influence of | | | | A lot of studies has constantly giving us |
| alcohol or narcotics. That's less than one | | | | alarming data on alcohol-related accidents |
| percent of the 159 million self-reported | | | | and deaths. Alcohol-related motor vehicle |
| episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among | | | | crashes killed nearly 17,000 people in 2002 |
| U.S. adults each year. More than half of the | | | | alone. Alcohol is a factor in 6% of all |
| 414 child passengers ages 14 and younger who | | | | traffic crashes, and over 40% of all fatal |
| died in alcohol-related crashes during 2005 | | | | crashes. The only way to prevent these types |
| were riding with a drinking driver, based on | | | | of accidents is to simply refrain from |
| statistics given by the National Highway | | | | drinking and driving. Charged to the |
| Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In | | | | experiences of famous celebrities who were |
| 2004, an estimated 16,654 people were killed | | | | apprehended because of their irresponsible |
| in alcohol-related crashes. This is an | | | | acts, drunk driving can also be considered a |
| average of one death almost every half-hour. | | | | form of suicide. |
| Drunk drivers were responsible for 30 percent | | | | |