Driving after drinking according to the CDC is an act that continues to happen across the United States(CDC). According to The California Highway Patrol if you drive while impaired could put you in situations like getting arrested, or being involved in a traffic crash that causes serious injury or death(CDC). Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher(NHTSA). There were 10,511 people killed in 2018, in reportedly preventable crashes. In fact, within the 10 years ranging from 2009 to 2018, there were more than 10,000 people that died every year in drunk-driving-related crashes(NHTSA). In a study performed by the CDC men were more likely than women to be in a fatal crash that was caused by drinking while driving(NHTSA). In this same study, 21% of men were drunk in these crashes in 2018, compared to 14% of women(NHTSA). According to Th
e California Highway Patrol, driving a vehicle while impaired is a crime. Enforcement of drunk-driving laws has been a factor in reducing drunk-driving deaths since the 1980s(NHTSA). Charges can range from misdemeanors to felony offenses, and penalties for impaired driving can include drivers license revocation, fines, and jail time(NHTSA). A first-time offender will usually be looking at $10,000 in fines and legal fees, States require offenders to install ignition interlock devices which will be at the drivers own expense(NHTSA). An ignition interlock device is a breath test device connected to a vehicles ignition(CDC). The vehicle will not start until the driver has blown into the interlock and has recorded a BAC that is below an already set low limit, usually .02 BAC. NHTSA supports the evolution of ignition interlocks which has proven technology that has kept drunk drivers from operating a motor vehicle(NHTSA).