drunk driving

Drunk Driving to be Combated by New Tech Mandates, Congress Says

November 9, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The “single most important legislation” in the history of efforts made by Mothers Against Drunk Driving signifies “the beginning of the end of drunk driving,” according to MADD’s national president, Alex Otte.

In the midst of a $1 trillion infrastructure package implementation (which will be signed by President Joe Biden shortly), a mandate set forth by Congress to utilize technology to deter drunk driving is in the works. This requirement comes as part of the package’s efforts to boost vehicle safety as roadway deaths have reached their highest numbers since 2006–even though traffic numbers decreased significantly during the pandemic.

Systems programmed to monitor drivers and stop them from driving under the influence of alcohol would be installed in all new vehicles made as soon as 2026 under this new mandate; right now, the Transportation Department is working to determine which innovative technology should be implemented. Automakers will also be given sufficient time to comply with the requirement, as well.

In addition to this driver monitoring technology, roadways will see more protected green spaces and bike paths as part of the $17 billion given to road safety programs out of the infrastructure package itself. The Eno Center for Transportation noted that this has been the largest funding boost for such initiatives in decades.

These efforts come as new reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that around 20,160 people suffered traffic crash fatalities during the first half of 2021, with factors such as failure to wear a seat belt, speeding, and, of course, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol raising these numbers exponentially. Around 10,000 people die each year on American roadways in alcohol-related incidents–comprising nearly one-third of all yearly traffic deaths, NHTSA added.

This new legislation “will virtually eliminate the number one killer on America’s roads,” said MADD’s Otte.

The most likely technology to be installed and deter drunk driving, according to Guidehouse Insights principal mobility analyst, Sam Abuelsamid, will be driver-monitoring infrared camera systems. Nissan, BMW, and General motors have already been utilizing this kind of tech along with partially automated driver-assist systems to monitor driver attentiveness.

These camera systems are able to monitor whether or not a driver’s eyes are on the road, as well as impairment, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness. If any of these signs are noticed, the system will first warn the driver, and then turn on hazard lights and pull over if such behavior continues.

Some drivers who have received DUIs or DWIs are required to use a breathalyzer device that is attached to their car’s ignition–a device which will disable the vehicle if a driver’s blood alcohol level is found to be above the legal limit. The new requirement has yet to distinguish which technology would be preferred for widespread implementation. Still, the technology that does end up being installed in all vehicles must “passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired.”

Still, this isn’t a likely long-term solution, as most people would not agree with needing to blow into a breathalyzer before starting their car every time, said Abuelsamid.

“I don’t think it’s going to go over very well with a lot of people,” he said.

In addition, a $5 billion program spearheaded by Buttigieg, named the “Safe Streets & Roads for All” initiative, will aim toward safer streets for both pedestrians and cyclists, as well as drivers. These “Vision Zero” program efforts will help campaigns in place to bring an end to traffic fatalities, and will work to create wider sidewalks, reduce roads to move commuters toward more public transit usage, build new bike baths, and slow overall traffic with additional roundabouts.

“The best way to allow people to move in ways that are better for congestion and better for climate is to give them alternatives,” said Buttigieg. “This is how we do right by the next generation.”

Chicago Police Begin New Campaign to Catch More Drunk Drivers

September 20, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

CHICAGO – Local police departments are cracking down on drunk driving in a new safety campaign.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is pairing up with local police to launch “Saturation Saturday,” a campaign implementing increased DUI control and sobriety checkpoints in Chicago and across the entire United States.

ABC 7 Chicago recently shared the story of Lisa Pruett, who lost her daughter Olivia Cooper to drunk driving almost 12 years ago. Cooper was only 21.

“Olivia was the offender,” Pruett said of the January 2008 accident. “She became her own victim of a drunk driving crash.”

Pruett aims for her story to make drivers think twice about getting behind the wheel after drinking.

“Every DUI arrest we make can save someone’s life,” Illinois State Police Lt. Col. David Byrd told ABC 7. “We do this every night. These officers are out there every night patrolling.”

On September 5th, The Chicago Police Department released a statement explaining its findings in its DUI Saturation Patrol in Englewood over August 31st and September 1st, issuing one DUI arrest, seven Unsafe Vehicle Violation arrests, and 13 Traffic Violation arrests, to name a few. In the Gresham District Saturation Patrol conducted August 23rd and 24th, CPD also made one DUI arrest, along with 14 arrests for Unsafe Vehicle Violations and 19 for Traffic Violations.

“The purpose of this program is to saturate a pre-designated area with roving police officers that continually monitor vehicular traffic for signs of impaired driving,” CPD said in the statement. Patrols place emphasis not only on alcohol-related violations, but on safety belt and speed violations as well.

CPD also says the Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit may be deployed in future saturation plans in order for officers to more quickly charge someone with a DUI before taking them into custody. This unit also issues Individual Recognizance Bonds at the site of patrol.

These “Saturation Saturdays,” which will continue throughout Chicago and its surrounding neighborhoods, serve as an important reminder for drivers not to get behind the wheel after drinking under any circumstances, even if they think they feel fine. The strategies of preventing drunk driving (proven effective by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to keep in mind include:

–Zero tolerance laws–it is illegal to drive with any amount of alcohol in your system if you are under 21 years of age.

-A blood alcohol content measured at or above 0.08 percent is illegal, and may result in a DUI.

–License revocation or suspension laws allow police to take away the license of someone testing at or above the legal BAC limit who refuses testing.

The Los Angeles Times, along with Alcohol Problems and Solutions, also have some tips on how to spot and avoid drunk drivers on the road–and what to do if you see one:

Warning signs:

-Unusually wide turns

-Weaving or swerving

-Straddling the lane marker

-Tailgating

-Sudden stops

-Abrupt turns

-No headlights at night

-Drifting

-Slow responses

-Driving in the wrong direction

What not to do:

-Attempt to stop the vehicle

-Disregard traffic signals or laws to keep the driver in your view

-Try to follow the vehicle if it is speeding or if there are any other hazards

-Follow the impaired driver closely–the car may stop suddenly

-Attempt to detain the drunk driver if he or she does stop

-Act in the capacity of police or safety official unless you are authorized to do so

-Try to assist any law enforcement while they apprehend a drunk driver (unless requested)

What to do:

-Maintain a safe distance–a drunk driver may swerve into you.

-If a drunk driver is behind you, pull over or turn right when safe so he or she can pass.

-If the driver is coming head on, move onto the shoulder, stop, and use your horn and/or lights to get his or her attention.

-When approaching an intersection at night, slow down and be alert for the unexpected.

-Use your seat belt properly and keep doors locked.

-Use four-lane highways and avoid rural roads when possible.

-Avoid travel after midnight (especially on weekends).

-Of course, never drink and drive, and serve as a designated driver when possible.

Additionally, you can help police by dialing 911 or *SP on your cell phone (as soon as it is safe to do so), saying you’d like to report a suspected drunk driver, giving the exact location of the vehicle, and providing as complete a description as possible–make, model and color of vehicle as well as the license plate number.

Professional Football is Back: Avoid Being a Victim of Drunk Driving This Season…

September 6, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Football is back. For some of us in Chicagoland, that means screaming at the TV alone in frustration and joy for the next four months. For others, it’s a collective experience of doing the same thing surrounded by friends and family. And, yet another group of us, about sixty-thousand or so, will gather together on the Museum Campus to attend the battle on the gridiron in hopes of seeing our team defeat the opponent in stupendous fashion. Speaking of fashion, a great many of these enthusiastic spectators will be dressed in jerseys ready to suit up in case da coach needs ‘em. My prediction is that he won’t, but if you’ve ever used the word “super” to describe your commitment as a fan, far be it from me to dash your hopes and kill your dreams of experiencing glory and having the chance at lining up, if only just once, in T formation.

No matter how you plan to enjoy watching the ball game, while getting there and back, strong safety should be your primary goal in defending against traffic crashes. Ok, I know that was corny. I’m a dad, so I like dad jokes. However the sentiment here is what counts. You want to be able to have fun watching the game without worrying about getting hurt in a crash heading home.

People should know better, yet the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reportedthat 3,866 people died as the result of car crashes involving drunk drivers between 2013 and 2012 in Illinois. A lot of people enjoy having a drink on game day. That should be fine as long as it’s done responsibly. That means, anyone getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle should be sober; not sobered-up, but sober.

How Long Should You Wait to Drive After Drinking?

Is 48 hours too long to wait to drive after having that last drink? I don’t think so. It’s generally known that it takes about an hour for a person’s body to metabolize one standard drink. Yet, alcohol can be detected in a blood test for up to 12 yours after having a drink. Not only that, consuming alcohol has other, longer-term effects on your body. Having five or more drinks in one night can affect your mind and body for up to three days. Drinking slows down your metabolism and endurance, making it harder to stay fit even if you exercise. Even if your workout performance is of no concern to you, driving a car is still a physical activity. Alcohol also inhibits nutrient absorption. Not only do beer and liquor contain no vitamins or minerals, they deplete the essential elements, such as B12 and zinc, your body needs to maintain focus and energy, which are also needed to properly operate a motor vehicle.

So even if your team’s offense doesn’t show up to do their job, you’ll most likely still be expected to show up to work on Monday. If you’re going to drink during the game, get a driver or use public transportation, even the next day. Having litigated car crash cases for a few years now, I can share from experience that, heaven forbid, if you were to find yourself a party to a motor vehicle crash lawsuit, there is a high probability that you will be asked, under oath, in a deposition whether you consumed any alcohol within 24 to 48 hours before having been involved in a collision.

Negligence is preventable. Every one of us can take steps to improve our chances of getting home safely so that we can enjoy the whole season without injury or worse. So, have fun this season, be safe, and go (registered trademark of a certain team that plays in a certain town that won a certain game in 1985)!

Trucking Companies Should Focus More on Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention

January 4, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The numbers are concerning. As The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to keep statistics on work deaths, drivers consistently rank in the top ten of most dangerous jobs in the country. There is no doubt that driving a truck is hard work. Add to that the long hours, over-night routs, and tough weather conditions and a picture starts to emerge of a hard, gritty way to make a living.

With hundreds of work deaths every year, safety has to be top of mind for everyone in the transportation, shipping, and driving industry. This of course includes management as well as drivers. One obvious safety measure for drivers and management is making sure their fellow drivers are rested, alert, and sober when they hit the road in their vehicles.

Federal regulations require supervisors for commercial motor vehicle drivers who have a commercial driver’s license to complete at least an hour of training on the alcohol abuse symptoms and an additional hour of training on controlled substance symptoms. This is meant to help management recognize the signs that a driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and to refer them to testing. Hopefully those drivers get help. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations do not require supervisors to get recurring training on these issues.

These rules notwithstanding, trucking outfits would only benefit by paying more attention to this concern. Most Americans are aware of the opioid epidemic in this country as well as a perpetual “war on drugs” that seems to have no end in sight. Despite the fact that no reasonable person would disagree that drunk driving is wrong, people still do it.

One explanation may be loneliness. In a 2014 study on the connection between loneliness and drug abuse, researchers found that people who abuse drugs tend to be struggling with loneliness, too. Life on the road is often a solo endeavor. Drivers spend long hours alone behind the wheel and even if they drive with a partner, often one driver is sleeping while the other works.

Anyone who has ever taken a long trip knows that it is not always easy to stay alert for a long drive, therefore, rest and breaks are important. That is why it is so crucial for trucking companies to be diligent in catching signs of driver substance abuse. Some truck drivers may turn to drugs like cocaine or amphetamines to stay awake on the road, but these substances alter the mind and tend to cause symptoms that can impair a driver’s ability to make decisions and see the road in front of them clearly.

One way that trucking companies and drivers can improve this situation is by going beyond the Federal Regulations and giving more attention to drug and alcohol abuse symptom training and prevention. Being pro-active and getting ahead of the problem can save lives before it’s too late. If management is better trained on what to look for when a driver has a problem, that person may be able to get help or rehabilitation so that they can get back on the road clean and sober. Everyone should agree that a top priority for the transportation industry would be to stop and prevent impaired driving entirely. There is almost no bigger vehicle on the road and therefore a no more dangerous one than a big rig. Keeping truck drivers safe and sober is as important as the safety of everyone else on the highway. In an industry that employs so many and is so vital to our economy, more training meant to recognize how much this problem affects road safety can mean the difference between life and death.

Illinois is giving repeat DUI offenders a fifth chance. Seriously.

September 30, 2015 by Ken Levinson Leave a Comment

Has the governor and state assembly gone too far?

Our great state is not one for second chances. It’s actually more like five.

News started trickling out last week that Governor Bruce Rauner and the Illinois General Assembly have moved forward with a measure that would give drivers convicted of multiple DUIs an opportunity to redeem themselves. Starting in January of 2015, repeat offenders that have racked up four DUIs will be eligible to receive a restricted driving permit, only after proving that they’ve been alcohol and drug-free for at least three years. As of now, four DUIs means the state revokes your license.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that state representatives feel the new law is, in part, as much a deterrent as it is an incentive to keep people with bad records from making poor decisions. As noble as it may sound, the sentiment rings hallow in more ways than one.

I dare to guesstimate that there are thousands of people whose lives have been affected by drunk driving accidents. Using phrases like “second chance” and “turn their lives around” (language used by state reps) as public appeals for support is borderline offensive, especially when “second chance” in this case is much more than two. Surprisingly, the measure has earned the support of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) and Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists. I can’t presume to know the ins and outs of those conversations, but part of me has to believe that M.A.D.D. and A.A.I.M. want to promote the same “second chance” ideals as the state. But the process by which it came together doesn’t seem to account for the folks who have lost much more than a license.

For my money, repeat-offenders deserve little, if any, sympathy when it comes to drunk driving convictions, arrests or citations. Do first-time offenders deserve a second chance? Absolutely. After that, it’s not so much a mistake as it is a pattern; justifying that kind of behavior is hard to do, yet it seems Illinois is willing to give lots of people the benefit of the doubt. That’s hard when the statistics are so unfavorable.

The Sun-Times noted that more than 5,000 people in Illinois have been convicted of at least four DUIs. Illinois state police made 5,784 DUI arrests in 2014; Chicago police logged at least 3,321. Of the more than 34,000 DUI-related arrests made in 2013, 317 people were killed because of a drunk-driving-related accident. To the families who continue to live through the impact of poor decisions, this new law can’t help but feel backwards by giving four-time offenders another opportunity to get back on the road, even if their citation never led to an accident. It’s four chances too many.

What’s worse is that the precedent for future legislation has been established. What’s to stop the governor from making it six DUIs in 2017 if he and the assembly are willing to stretch it to five in 2016? Let’s hope we can keep our “second chances” in the state to a minimum moving forward.