| By now everyone should know how stupid it is to drink | | | | DUI in Florida |
| and drive. Many people were raised on a diet of After | | | | Looking at Florida, for example, a state whose mild |
| School Specials and special guest lecturers at their | | | | weather allows for an increased tourist base and |
| schools about the dangers and consequences of | | | | increased traffic, 2007 registered a nearly four percent |
| driving under the influence. At the time, these types of | | | | drop in alcohol-related fatalities. Florida is a state that |
| consequences may have seen abstract, either | | | | arrests drivers if their blood alcohol content is .08 or |
| because the audience was too young to drive or the | | | | higher. However, there really is not a legal limit for |
| thought of drinking alcohol had never occurred to them. | | | | driving under the influence, and you may find yourself |
| They knew what MADD stood for, but they didn't | | | | arrested for DUI or DWI because you refused to take |
| know anyone who was a part of it. | | | | a test or even register a .02 BAC. |
| As this audience grew up, alcohol may have become | | | | If you are convicted of DUI in the state of Florida, you |
| part of their life in some way, either at weekend | | | | will be fined. Though the circumstances will determine |
| parties or because they knew someone who was at | | | | the amount, it is at least $250 or as high as $1000 for |
| that party doing the drinking. Some may have even | | | | your first offense. You may also face probation or |
| had the tragic unpleasantness of getting caught up in | | | | even jail time for your first offense. Or maybe you'll |
| their own personal drama with drinking and driving. | | | | just get community service. And then there's |
| Usually the consequences were fatal. While the kids of | | | | something called "DUI School." These are the |
| America were taking in the lesson that drinking and | | | | mandatory classes you must attend, and pay for, if |
| driving leads to death and sorrow, what may have not | | | | you are convicted of a DUI. You don't have to wonder |
| been a lesson learned is what happens when you | | | | too hard about how heavy the penalties are if you are |
| don't die; you simply get pulled over. | | | | convicted of a DUI-related accident where someone is |
| According to the National Highway Traffic Safety | | | | killed. |
| Administration, the latest national DUI statistics show | | | | States, like Florida, are getting tougher on those who |
| fewer fatalities in 2007 than in prior years (these are | | | | drink and drive. Lowering the limit to .08 is one thing. |
| the latest statistics compiled by the NHTSA). On one | | | | However, there are those whose driver's license is |
| hand, this could mean that there are fewer people | | | | restricted, or an ignition interlock device is required to |
| drinking and driving. Or it could mean that more people | | | | start their car and then keep it running. In fact, MADD |
| are stopped before they are involved in an accident | | | | has said the ignition interlock device has helped |
| by the police. The same states that had the most DUI | | | | decrease the number of drunken drivers on the road |
| fatalities in 2006 stayed mostly constant in 2007. Or, | | | | by hundreds of thousands. In any event, if you are |
| perhaps a third reason is that because the | | | | arrested for DUI, you will need someone who knows |
| consequences have become so harsh in some states | | | | about the law and how to keep you from going to |
| that it just is not worth the risk, no matter what. | | | | prison. |