Drunk driving is known in some states as a DUI (driving under the influence), DWI (driving while intoxicated) and OWI (operating while intoxicated). The laws and penalties for drunk drivers vary widely, but the consequences for the victims are the same.

A driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 (the legal limit in many states) or greater is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than is a driver who has not consumed alcoholic beverages, and a driver with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or greater is about 25 times more likely.

Drinking and driving can be a deadly combination. According to the National Council on Alcoholism, it's estimated that two out of five Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related accident at some time during their lives. This accounts for more than 40 thousand deaths each year. Alcohol impairs your body's motor ability, including muscle functioning, reaction time, eyesight, depth perception, and night vision, and also affects the part of the brain that controls judgment and inhibition.

Alcohol acts in several ways on the optic nerve and effects the transmission of brain signals, which can lead to false estimation of distances, night blindness, and a reduction in the visual field. Nevertheless, because your motor skills are impaired due to the depressant effects of the drug, you may feel less inhibited and more self-confident about your driving skills. Since alcohol leads to loss of self-control and problems in reflexes and vision, this puts you at a high risk for accidents.

This is why you should never drive while intoxicated or ride in a car with someone who's been drinking. Instead, call a cab or someone you know to come get you, and if you're going to drink, you should designate a non-drinking driver.

Blood Alcohol Concentration and Impairment

Drunk driving is the nation's most frequently committed violent crime. (MADD, 1996)

• Drunk driving deaths have reached a plateau. Preliminary alcohol-related traffic fatality statistics show that 16,652 people died on the roadways in 2001. (NHTSA, 2002)
• An estimated 513,000 people are injured in alcohol-related crashes each year, an average of 59 people per hour or approximately one person every minute. (NHTSA, 2002)
• An estimated three of every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic crash at some time in their lives. (NHTSA, 2000)
• Americans rank drunk driving as their No. 1 highway safety concern. (Allstate-MADD survey, 1997)
• Preliminary research for 2000 shows that alcohol-related crashes cost the public an estimated $114.7 billion annually -- this includes an estimated $63.9 billion lost in quality of life due to these crashes. (Ted Miller, 2002)
• The societal costs of alcohol-related crashes average 80 cents per drink consumed. (Ted Miller, 1999)
• Approximately 1.5 million drivers were arrested in 1999 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This is an arrest rate of one for every 121 licensed drivers in the United States. (NHTSA, 2000)

Number of Drinks and BAC in One Hour of Drinking