Drunk-Driving: America's Next Top Monster
Prologue: I have an article in here and I hope that America will realize that a potentially-huge problem might arise if this would not be curbed at the soonest possible time Thanks to misbehaved celebrities, this would not have been a much-talked about matter. Comparing this problem last year to what had happened in 2005, some 6.25 percent more cases has been made regarding this ever-ballooning problem. Thanks to the recently-freed Paris Hilton, DUI or drunk driving would not have been a national issue.
In every two minutes, a person gets injured in a drunk-driving related incident, according to NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?s report for 2005. Much worse, a person gets killed due to alcohol-related crashes every 31 minutes. A much worse number was recorded last year as a person dies in every 29 minutes on a similar situation.
It is not only lives that get affected, even the livelihood of each and every American gets affected as well. Each year, alcohol-related crashes cost some US$51 billion, including auto parts damages. In Kansas alone, which ranked 33rd on drunk-driving fatalities, some $3.4 million has been spent per fatality. To those lucky enough to remain alive, a humongous $97,000 was the estimated cost per injured person. It is twice larger than the median family income in the state which was at US$43,725.
States which play host to big cities expectedly make up a majority to these occurrences. California, Texas, and Florida, which altogether comprise the top 3 states in terms of alcohol-related fatalities, took up ¼ of the country?s total in 2005. Out of all these recorded fatalities, majority of it would be people aged 20-29. 21 percent of all vehicular fatalities that involved children below 14 years old would be alcohol-related .
All in all, close to 1.4 million drivers were arrested in 2005. The startling fact is that not even one percent of the real number of cases have been reported. Self reports due to alcohol-impaired driving have been recorded 159 million times in 2005.
If there was any consolation regarding this matter, there was a huge decrease in percentage if you would compare 2005 with 1982. When compared to 1982?s record, 2005 was 12 percent better. However, 2006 was a great year for drunk-driving incidents as the numbers have gone up again.
I just wish that this will serve as an important lesson. In 30 minutes, someone will die because of some drunk-driving concern. I hope all will be more cautious of these increasing numbers.
Terrence Chase
grubeanschlag@gmail.com
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