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What is considered "Drunk Driving?"

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"I have only had a few drinks." "I am fine, really." "I have a high tolerance for alcohol." "I am not drunk." These are frequent excuses of individuals leaving a bar, a party, a friend's house, or a restaurant that have consumed any given amount of alcoholic beverages. Maybe what they are saying is true, but their next step should definitely not be to sit behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. In fact, all they should be saying is "Here are the keys, will someone else drive." Drinking and then driving has been an enormous problem in the United States and has continued to be an issue, not only for those of the legal drinking age, but people of all ages. Did you know that about three in every ten Americans will be involved in some type of alcohol-related collision sometime in their lives? Studies show that alcohol alters an individual's vision, thought process, reaction time, judgment, and perception of distance. Alcohol is frequently linked to destructive behaviors, mood changes, violence, and other harmful acts. When these behaviors are combined with the operation of a motorized vehicle, serious problems can occur. By reading the above effects of alcohol (which are only a few), you can, most likely, understand why drunk driving is such a huge concern of citizens as well as law enforcement. If not consumed responsibly, alcohol can be extremely dangerous for children, youth, adults, and innocent bystanders. So what is considered "Drunk Driving?" The legal limit of registered alcohols levels can vary from state to state, but most states have now lowered the legal blood alcohol concentration maximum from .10 to .08 percent for adults over the age of twenty one. Many states have even passed "Zero Tolerance" which pertains to those under the age of twenty-one. These specific laws prohibit under age drivers from having any measurable amount of alcohol in their blood systems. Because of the increased number of drunken driving incidents involving deaths, organizations rising up against drunk driving, and the increase in underage drinking, states have become more rigid in their laws against drinking and driving and have created more severe consequences for offenders.

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