If you’ve ever been in a car with a drunk driver in Maryland, you know how dangerous it can be. You may not know the facts about it and the remedies that work.
Quick facts
- Drivers whose blood alcohol level is above .08 are considered intoxicated in Waldorf, Maryland.
- Over 10,000 people in the United States die yearly in accidents involving drunk drivers.
- Due to dedicated efforts, the number of alcohol-impaired fatal accidents in the United States has decreased since the 1980s.
- Even so, drunk motorists continue to get on the road millions of times every year.
What works
These tactics can decrease or avoid drunk driving. The Guide to Community Preventive Services recommends them. Different strategies may require different resources or have varying degrees of effect.
- Adopting laws against drunk driving. These laws punish people who drive with a blood alcohol level over.08%. Zero-tolerance laws make it illegal for anyone under 21 to drive drunk. All 50 states have these laws, which have saved many lives.
- Public sobriety spot checks – These allow police to check drivers at specific, prominent locations. Police may stop all or some drivers. Make sure they’re public and regular.
- An ignition interlock measures alcohol on a driver’s breath for all convicted offenders, even first-time offenders. Vehicles cannot start if the driver has a blood alcohol content over .02%. It prevents repeat offenses while installed. Programs that assess and treat alcohol problems may reduce repeat offenses once interlocks are removed.
These are just some remedies that can be used to reduce or prevent impaired driving. You can avoid arrest by limiting your alcohol consumption if you’re driving.