Many police departments say drunk driving increases between Thanksgiving and New Year’s and believe it is the most dangerous time of the year to be on the road. To help prevent accidents from occurring, police department rely upon DUI checkpoints. In addition to setting up these checkpoints, police departments often send out more “roving patrols” to catch drunk drivers in the act.

If you have never encountered a DUI checkpoint, you may be unfamiliar with its setup and purpose. A DUI checkpoint (sometimes referred to as a roadblock) is a temporary installation that is set up by the police department. Roadblocks are typically set up in an area where drinking and driving is a known problem.

Officers stop random numbers of cars to look for signs of intoxication, though they may also check to see if you are wearing your safety belt or carrying your driver’s license. If the officer suspects that you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he or she may ask you to pull over and take a field sobriety test and/or breath test. Failing these tests may lead to your arrest.

Due to NHTSA guidelines, roadblocks are highly publicized. Although it may seem like this defeats the purpose of a DUI checkpoint, it actually serves as a deterrent by letting people know that police officers are on the lookout for drunk drivers.

You should always exercise caution if you turn around to avoid a DUI checkpoint, as there are often officers waiting nearby to keep an eye out for intoxicated drivers.

Be careful this holiday season. When possible, appoint a designated driver before going out. If you do have too much to drink, call a taxi or try to find alternative transportation.

Do you think that adding DUI checkpoints around the holidays deters people from driving under the influence?

Not getting enough sleep can certainly come back to harm you. There were a series of studies conducted in the 1980s where rats were kept from sleeping indefinitely. In as little as five days, the rats began to die.

Lack of sleep affects humans in many ways. It affects your attention span, your memory, reaction time, and the speed at which you think. If you let the lack of sleep cumulate, it continues to add a deficit to your cognitive abilities.

Scientists say that most people should sleep between seven and eight hours a night. However, a recent study found that most people sleep an average of 6.7 hours a night.

Not getting enough sleep can endanger your life. There was a study done in which approximately 250 people volunteered to have their vehicles wired with cameras. Over a year, the researchers discovered that driving while drowsy was the riskiest behavior drivers did in the car.

People who drive while tired are likely to lapse in the car. These lapses, known as “micro-sleeps,” can occur even when their eyes are open. All it takes is 2 seconds of a lapse while driving your car to completely drift out of the lane.

Many people think that turning up the radio or turning on the air conditioner full blast will keep them alert while driving. However, these things do little to keep a tired driver from having one of these lapses.

If an officer notices this erratic driving pattern, he or she may pull the driver over on suspicion of DUI.  Officers are trained to look for signs of intoxication. Things such as bloodshot and watery eyes, trouble answering questions, and slurred speech are often attributed to being drunk. Extreme lack of sleep can, and does, mirror the same behaviors.

The driver will also have trouble with field sobriety tests. Because these tests require fully-functioning cognitive abilities and reaction time, the driver will more than likely fail a field sobriety test and be arrested for driving under the influence.

Do you ever find yourself driving while drowsy? How does it affect your driving abilities?

In several states, this has been an ongoing battle for the defense. With the breath test being the main piece of the prosecution’s evidence, it is imperative that the defense be able to analyze the software used to calculate a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC).  It seems that in this day and time, the machine has become the judge in court cases.

The results of the breath test are important for many reasons. If you are pulled over for drunk driving, and the test shows that your BAC is .08 percent, that is enough for you to receive a per se license suspension. The officer will confiscate your driver’s license at the scene, and you will receive an administrative license suspension. You can go to court to fight this, but unless you can prove that the machine is wrong, you probably won’t win.

Next you will go to criminal court. Once again, the breath test results will be all of the evidence that the prosecution needs to secure a conviction…unless you can prove that the machine was wrong.

There are two ways to prove that the machine is wrong. The first is to secure a breath sample for independent testing. Unfortunately, the police are not required to collect this sample for you. There is no police department in the country that currently saves the breath sample for the accused driver.

The other way to prove that the machine is wrong is to have a look inside the machine. The problem with this is that the manufacturers do not want to part with their software code. They use the “trade secret” excuse to keep the defense from independently analyzing it.

In New Jersey, a judge did order one manufacturer to turn over their secret codes to the defense. After a specialized computer lab looked over it, they stated that the software was a mess and would not pass developmental standards and testing for the military and U.S. government. It comes as little surprise that the manufacturer did not want anyone looking at their software.

Do you think that more judges should order manufacturers to turn over their software? Are the courts giving breath test results too much weight?

The ruling in question was made because of problems with the state’s toxicology lab: the judges cite mistakes such as discarding data, entering incorrect data, bad software, and logs that were not properly completed. This is in addition to allegations that the lab manager, who was supposed to prepare the alcohol samples, did not.

In the judges’ 29-page ruling, they state that the Washington State Toxicology Lab had so many “ethical lapses, systemic inaccuracy, negligence and violations of scientific principles” that breath tests should be suppressed as evidence in upcoming DUI cases.

The judges further allege there is no way of knowing whether the thousands of breath tests given from 2003 to 2007 are accurate.

Some Washington defense attorneys believe this is more than making simple mistakes – they call the actions at the lab fraudulent, citing a complete disregard for accuracy.

Due to the credibility issues with the state’s lab, many prosecutors are dropping breath tests as evidence when going to trial. They must instead rely on other evidence such as blood tests or the arresting officer’s testimony on the defendant’s driving and actions.

Prosecutors in King County agree that with the 40,000 breath tests given every year in the state, there could be thousands of cases affected, but that does not necessarily mean that DUI charges will be dropped completely.

It is not known yet how many people who have been convicted of driving under the influence will be able to go back and have their cases re-opened.

This is not just a problem with Washington State. A 1995 study published by the Journal of Forensic Sciences analyzed tests that were administered by the Forensic Sciences Foundation and Collaborative Testing Services during the accreditation process. It found that the rate of incorrect matches between evidence and reference samples exceeded ten percent.

Many call for a governmental agency to watch over forensic labs to make sure they are doing their job accurately. Today, when evidence goes to a lab, it is unlikely it will be examined by another lab or facility, thus increasing the amount of mistakes that will go through undetected.

Do you think there should be an agency to watch over forensic labs?

While this is a time of new beginnings, it can also end in tragedy if we don’t act responsibly. New Year’s Eve is a dangerous night because of the increased number of impaired drivers who are out on the road. Law enforcement agencies across the United States will be on the lookout for drunk drivers throughout the night.

Driving under the influence can lead to many consequences, such as arrest, accidents, and possibly death. 

Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to keep the roads safe this New Year’s Eve. They include:
· If you are planning to drink alcohol at your New Year’s event, designate a sober driver before going out and give them your keys.
· If you think you’ve had too much to drink, call a taxi, use mass transit, or call a sober family member or friend to pick you up and get you home safely.
· If you do drink, do so responsibly. Get plenty to eat, alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and make sure you limit the amount of alcohol you consume.
· Make sure to wear your seatbelt – it is the best defense against other impaired drivers.

Party hosts can also help to keep the roads safe. Serve lots of food, especially high protein dishes, and make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks and coffee on hand. If you notice that one of your guests is inebriated, be sure to arrange a sober ride, or call a taxi, to ensure that he/she makes it home safely.

It is important that we keep the roads safe so everyone can start off the New Year on the right foot.

What are some other tips to keep the roads safe this holiday season?

For many police departments, the holidays are the best time to step up their anti-drinking and driving campaigns. This year is no different. Research shows that frequent highly publicized and highly visible roadblocks reduce alcohol-related crashes by 18 to 24 percent.

What exactly is a roadblock?

DUI roadblocks, or sobriety checkpoints, are temporary installations used by police departments to catch drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or other substances. Officers can use a portable breath test to determine the driver’s blood alcohol content, or look for signs of impairment. If the officer determines the driver is impaired, he/she may ask the driver to exit his/her vehicle and take a field sobriety test.

There are some groups who believe that law enforcement agencies will catch more drunk drivers with roving patrols than sobriety checkpoints. While this may be true, some officers believe that roadblocks are important. Checkpoints let agencies hand out brochures about safe driving, as well as make sure that drivers are properly licensed.

Having a heavy police presence around checkpoints also deters people from driving after having too much to drink.

Across the country, law enforcement agencies must follow guidelines on conducting sobriety checkpoints. These guidelines were established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  One of the guidelines includes using a neutral formula, such as every driver or every fifth driver, to determine who should be stopped. The decision to conduct a sobriety checkpoint must be made by supervisory officers, rather than officers in the field.

It is important to know that while you may turn around to avoid a checkpoint, there are often patrols near by looking for drivers who show signs of impairment. So be safe this season – if you are afraid that you had too much to drink at the office Christmas party, call a cab or look for alternative transportation.

Do you think that DUI roadblocks are effective around the holidays?

In recent years, there has been an unending parade of stars who choose to drink alcohol and then sit behind the wheel of a car: Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Haley Joel Osment, Rip Torn, Tracy Gold, Michelle Rodriguez, and Mel Gibson, just to name a few.

In 2006, Nicole Ritchie was also arrested for DUI, though not for drinking alcohol. Ritchie was reportedly taking vicodin and smoking marijuana the night that she was arrested for impaired driving. While driving home after a late movie, she missed a turn and ended up going the wrong direction on the freeway. However this was not her first DUI – Ritchie was arrested in 2002 with a blood alcohol content level of 0.12 percent.

Actress Rebecca De Mornay is the latest star to make headlines. She was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after a routine traffic stop in Beverly Hills. The officers immediately detected the odor of alcohol after pulling her over. According to police, her blood alcohol content level was 0.09 percent – slightly above the legal 0.08 limit.

There are now websites devoted to “celebetting” – betting on the next celebrity most likely to be arrested and charged with a DUI. According to one of the sites, the recent slew of high profile arrests has sparked a tremendous interest in DUI odds.

When ordinary people drink and drive, there are many bad things that can happen. The penalties for a DUI range from time in prison and probation, to fines and driver’s license suspension. It is entirely possible for a person to lose their job after being convicted of DUI.

It is different when a celebrity is arrested for driving under the influence. It is common for celebrity DUIs to be treated like entertainment. Rather than becoming a social outcast, the celebrity gains more news coverage.

Do you think Hollywood is out of touch with mainstream America’s ideas on drunk driving?

How does sensible drinking help your heart? Research has already shown that alcohol increases your HDL (”good”) cholesterol while decreasing your LDL (”bad”) cholesterol. HDL keeps arteries free of dangerous plaque. One leading epidemiologist has reported that drinking alcohol in moderation leads to a 10 to 30 percent increase in this good cholesterol in a single week. He also states that there is no other dietary staple that can have such a dramatic impact on HDL as quickly as alcohol.

Drinking one glass of alcohol daily has been found to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol for postmenopausal women, while two alcoholic beverages a day additionally raises HDL cholesterol.

It has now been discovered that moderate consumption of alcohol also improves the size of both HDL and LDL cholesterol particles in the blood stream. This improved cholesterol particle size has been linked to an improved resistance to diseases.

Alcoholic beverages also decrease thrombosis (that is blood clotting, to those of us without a medical degree.) Alcohol increases fibrinolysis, which is the process by which clots dissolve.

There are additional ways that a glass of merlot or a mug of your favorite ale can positively impact your health. They include:

· A reduction in coronary artery spasm in response to stress
· The increase of coronary blood flow
· Lowered blood pressure
· A reduction in blood insulin levels
· An increase in estrogen levels

The key to reaping the benefits that alcohol can offer is drinking in moderation. Moderate drinking is defined as one glass daily for women and no more than two glasses daily for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits.

People who drink in moderation tend to be healthier and live longer than people who either abstain or abuse alcohol.

Did you already know the positive benefits that alcohol can have on your heart and cholesterol?

According to some sources, there is no correlation between the ads that we see on T.V. for beer, wine, and liquor and the rate of alcohol abuse in the United States.

The Federal Trade Commission conducted a study on the matter and found there is: “no reliable basis to conclude that alcohol advertising significantly affects consumption, let alone abuse.”

There have been studies in Canada and the U.S. that found there is no significant connection between restrictions on alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption. These studies also showed that while alcohol advertising expenditures have increased, alcohol-related traffic fatalities have declined.

So why even bother to advertise?

People already understand what alcohol is and what it does. The objective of advertising is to get people who already consume alcohol to switch to their brand, and create brand loyalty.

There have been many sources that have reported that by the age of 18, the average teenager has seen over 100,000 beer commercials. However, to see that many commercials, you would have to watch T.V. for approximately 161,290 hours or 18.4 years. Therefore, you would have to start watching television 24 hours a day, every day, from birth until after your 18th birthday.

Did you know that you will see alcohol portrayed more often during television shows than during commercials? An analysis of prime time TV showed that alcohol commercials appeared at a rate of 0.2 per hour while alcohol portrayals during a show occurred 5 times per hour - 25 times more frequently.

Some critics of alcohol advertisements argue that these commercials “normalize” drinking in the minds of younger viewers. However, these ads cast alcohol as normal consumer product, such as soda and detergent. It is preferable to treat alcohol as neutral, not “good” or “bad.” This way we can discourage irresponsible drinking rather than demonizing alcohol.

Studies have found that the greatest influence on beliefs, attitudes and behaviors pertaining to alcohol comes from parents. Approximately 60% of teenagers stated that parents affect their decision about drinking.

What has affected your decisions about whether to drink or not? Should alcohol ads be banned?

Having a designated driver is a smart idea. It is estimated that designated drivers have saved 50,000 lives and helped thousands more to prevent injuries that would have occurred as a result of driving under the influence.

The number of people who use designated drivers has gone up increasingly over time. Every year, over 73 million Americans either act as a DD or are driven home by one.

Being a designated driver is pretty easy – all you have to do is abstain from drinking alcohol and be responsible for making sure others get home safely. Many bars and restaurants even provide free non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers.

There are many advantages to having a designated driver. First, it keeps people from staying off of the road while they are intoxicated. This can save their friend’s lives and keep them from facing arrest, injury or harming someone else. Second, if the driver abstains from drinking, it keeps others from determining who is the least impaired to drive. Another advantage is that it is simple to implement, costs nothing, and is effective.

What are some tips for designated drivers?
Plan ahead when attending functions where alcohol will be served

Make a commitment to yourself that you will not drink any alcohol before or during the event

Ask others about taking turns being the designated driver

Make sure there is more than one designated driver if there is a large group.
As a designated driver, you can also help out by taking car keys from intoxicated people to prevent them from becoming drunk drivers. There are many ways to do this. One is to be calm and make a joke out of it. Another is to find their keys while they are preoccupied. This will make them think they lost their keys and look for another way to get home. However you take the keys, just remember to avoid being confrontational or embarrassing the person.
Have you been a designated driver? Is selecting a DD part of your routine when going to an event where alcohol will be served?