| The alarming figures with regard to the number of | | | | means that 500 people die every week and 71 people |
| deaths caused by car accidents that involve alcohol | | | | die everyday in alcohol related car accidents.In addition |
| have prompted state governments and the Federal | | | | to these figures, estimates show that the economic |
| Government to take critical steps to prevent fatalities. | | | | and societal cost of alcohol related car accidents are |
| One of these steps is to lower the allowable blood | | | | very high. Alcohol impaired drivers cost American |
| alcohol concentration (BAC) from 100 mg/dl to 80 mg | | | | taxpayers about 21 to 24 billion dollars a year. Other |
| dl. However, such measures have proven to be | | | | studies show a much higher figure of $136 billion dollars |
| inadequate as more recent figures show a dramatic | | | | is spent on alcohol related accidents. This is in addition |
| increase in deaths caused by car accidents involving | | | | to the huge insurance costs of alcohol related |
| alcohol. More stringent laws have to be enacted to | | | | accidents and the injury, destruction and death that |
| prevent these accidents, which may include imposing | | | | come with them.State and Federal Governments have |
| stiffer penalties for DUI or driving under the influence | | | | lowered the allowable BAC that is aimed at lowering |
| cases.Recent figures show that instead of the | | | | the number of deaths caused by drunk driving. |
| expected decrease in the number of alcohol related | | | | However, recent figures show that there has been a |
| deaths as a result of imposing a lower BAC, quite the | | | | dramatic increase in the number of deaths caused by |
| opposite has occurred. In the last ten years, around | | | | drunk driving. Given this, there may be a need for more |
| 250,000 people died in alcohol related car accidents in | | | | stringent interventions, such as imposing stiffer |
| the United States. Figures show that 16,000 people | | | | penalties for DUI cases. This has the potential of |
| were killed in the year 2000, due to alcohol related | | | | effectively preventing more deaths caused by alcohol |
| accidents. In 2004, that figured climbed to 25,000. This | | | | related car accidents. |