"A Drink is a Drink is a Drink"
1 drink equals .54 ounces of alcohol. This is the approximate amount found in:
|
One
shot of distilled spirits, |
Every 33 minutes someone in this country dies in an alcohol-related crash.
In 1999, nearly 16,000 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes. More than 300,000 were injured. That's one person dead every 33 minutes and one person injured every two minutes. An estimated 1.5 million people were arrested. In fact, the average American has a 30 percent chance of being killed or injured by an impaired driver during their lifetime. And while the number of alcohol-related fatalities is at an all-time low, impaired driving is still a leading cause of death for people under the age of 30.
The phrase "drunk driving," while still common in everyday language and completely understandable, is not used as a legal term since many drivers who are part of the problem do not exhibit visible outward signs of drunkenness. "Impaired driving" in general means driving while abilities are impaired by alcohol or drugs. "Driving while intoxicated" (DWI) or "Driving under the influence" (DUI) means driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
What is Impaired Driving
and who is at Risk?
All drivers risk impairment when consuming alcohol or drugs--whether legal,
over-the-counter and prescription medications or illegal substances such as
marijuana, cocaine or other illicit drugs. Make the right choice--don't drink
and drive. Yet, we know that thousands of Americans every year continue to make
the wrong choices. Drunk Drivers come in all ages, genders and backgrounds.
FACT: The loss of lives to impaired driving is completely preventable. There are alternatives to impaired driving:
 | Designate a sober driver |
| Take a taxi or call a safe ride program |
| Make arrangements to spend the night where you are. |
FACT: Impaired driving is a chronic problem that will affect one in three Americans in their lifetime. Nearly 42,000 people die in motor vehicle crashes each year, and about 16,000 of these are alcohol-related. Alcohol-related crashes account for one person killed every 33 minutes and one person injured every two minutes every day of the year.
