Driving under the influence, which is also referred to as DUI, is the act of driving after one has been drinking and/or using drugs. Everyday, thousands of intoxicated people choose to get behind the wheel of the car. Many people think that it is okay to drive while they are under the influence because they may be feeling fine. However, DUI has several damaging effects. Below are just a few of the negative effects that can stem from driving under the influence:

People who drive under the influence endanger the lives of others

It is estimated that nearly 17,000 of the fatal car accidents in America can be attributed to drugs and/or alcohol. This is nearly 40 percent of the fatal accidents. Additionally, it is estimated that 13,000 people die each year as the result of a drunk driver. Most of the people who were killed by someone who was driving under the influence just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

People who drive under the influence endanger their own lives

People think that just because they are feeling fine they are fit to drive. However, studies have shown drugs and alcohol greatly impairs people’s driving. It is estimated that 8000 drivers are killed each year because they were under the influence while they were driving.

People who drive under the influence can get into serious trouble with the law

Even if a person manages to avoid injuring him or herself and others, he or she could still be in serious trouble. The law has cracked down on people who choose to drive while intoxicated. The penalties for DUI can vary greatly depending on the state that one lives in. The first time a person is stopped for DUI he or she can expect to serve 30 days in jail and pay a fine. If this person is stopped the second time, he or she can expect to serve a longer sentence in jail and possibly the licensed suspended.

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Stands for Driving Under Influence. There are many accidents happening across all the states due to drunken driving. These kind of accidents may also lead to death of people involved in the accident. It can also be referred as DWI, Driving While Intoxicated. DUI laws are created to prevent such accidents and deaths.

DUI accidents happen when a person drives the vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol reduces the level at which brain has to react to the events happening around you. This make the driver unable to handle the vehicle properly and may lead to a accident. There are many risks involved in drunken driving. The risk is not just for your life but to the other people around you and the people traveling along with you. All the states are very strict in implementing DUI laws. It is considered a class 1 misdemeanor by many states in US.

Many states have a legal drinking age of 21 years. Few states allow low level alcohol consumption at age 18. When you are driving after consuming alcohol and if an officer suspects that you may be driving under influence, he or she may stop you and check you. Initially they rely on the way you speak and the odor that comes from your mouth. If they feel that they are getting strong odors and you were not able to talk properly, they may ask you for a sobriety test to find out the level of intoxication. If you fail in those tests, the officer may ask for BAC test. BAC stands for Blood Alcohol Content. If you show a high level of BAC than allowed, then you will be charged under DUI law. A person driving under influence can refuse to take all these tests and hire a lawyer to defend his or her case.

If you ever get caught driving under influence, the consequences would be very severe including your driver’s license suspension. It would cause a lot of stress both mentally and financially. The immediate consequence of a DUI charge is increase in your insurance premium. You may also have to attend DUI classes and join any accident prevention program. Another problem with DUI is if the accident causes severe injuries or death, the person driving under influence may have to face serious penalties like serving prison time, life time suspension of driver’s license.

Few tips to avoid DUI charges:
- Do not drive when you are drunk.
- Always follow safe driving rules.
- Make sure your vehicle is in good working condition.
- If charged with DUI, do not take sobriety tests, take the help of a lawyer to help you out of the DUI charges.

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Anyone who has been convicted of a DUI will tell you it’s a costly offense. DUI laws vary by state, but overall the process and consequences are relatively similar. The standard Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit necessary for conviction in most states is .08%. However, in many states a person can be convicted of an extreme DUI, which has greater consequences. At a BAC level of .13% or more, a person has to be pretty drunk to get an extreme DUI. In such a case, one should just be thankful if no one was hurt (including themselves).

Most DUI convictions carry a jail sentence. Of course the length of the sentence depends upon the severity of the DUI. Misdemeanor first offenses usually carry a term of 3-10 days. Extreme offenses usually are a little longer. Repeat offenders often must serve slightly longer sentences. Most states operate under a three strikes policy, making a third offense very costly, often including felony designation and prison time.

When arrested for DUI, one of the first things to happen will be an automatic suspension of your driver’s license. A person does have a limited time frame to request an administrative driver’s license hearing with the MVD. The time frame depends upon the state, but in most states a hearing request must be made within 7-10 days.

If unable to get a hearing an automatic driver’s license suspension will occur. The length of suspension varies by the state and the severity of the offense. First time offenders can expect a suspension of 3-6 months, and in some states an extreme DUI can mean a driving suspension of one year. For repeat offenders, the consequences can be quite worse. Often, a license may be revoked for 1-2 years.

After the driving suspension is lifted a person will most likely have to have a breathalyzer machine installed in their vehicle for at least a year. The breathalyzer is called an ignition interlock device, because it is connected to the vehicle’s ignition and the car won’t start without successfully blowing into the device. The interlock device will also go off randomly while driving. It is not only embarrassing, but costly. The machine rental will cost approximately $1,000.

DUI’s are very costly, but can be easily avoided. Save time, money, and embarrassment by calling a taxi or a friend on the next night out. It is better to wake up in your own bed than a jailhouse mat.

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Critics of the United States often tout our severe laws in comparison to other countries. However, these critics are many times unaware that the US DUI laws are actually extremely lax when looking at DUI laws around the world. Though penalties vary from state to state, in the US, non-commercial drivers are not considered legally intoxicated until their blood alcohol levels reach 0.08%. Though other countries, like New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and most Central American countries also use 0.08% as their basis for intoxication, most countries are much less lenient.

Most European countries charge drivers with DUIs with a 0.05% blood alcohol level. However, there are several European countries that have a much lower limit. Norway, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia charge drivers with a 0.02% blood alcohol level, while Albania utilizes 0.01%. Even stricter, the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, and the Ukraine allow no alcohol whatsoever for those behind the wheel. Persons convicted of DUIs can face fines, loss of license, and even jail time.

The rest of the world varies significantly with both blood alcohol level and punishments. In China, a driver with a 0.02% blood alcohol faces a mandatory six month penal detention stay as well as revocation of a driver’s license of up to three months. In Europe, many drivers that are convicted of DUIs, at minimum, face a driving ban. Ireland, for example, bans drivers convicted of DUIs for up to two years and imposes a stiff fine.

One of the major differences between the United States and many other countries is the limit of blood alcohol allowed for new drivers. Most countries do not allow new drivers, that is, those with less than three years of driving experience, to have any alcohol in their system. This may be explained by the fact that most countries, the minimum driving age is 18, whereas in the US, though it varies by state, the driving age for the most part is 16. Exceptions to this rule are New Zealand, whose driving age is 15, and Niger, whose driving age is 23. Compare the age discrepancy in driving to the legal age for drinking alcohol, which is, in most countries, also 18. In the United States, drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal.

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