In 1997, motor-vehicle

crashes resulted in 41,967 deaths, 3.4 million nonfatal injuries, and

23.9 million vehicles in crashes; cost estimates are $200 billion.

In September,

U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater announced that alcohol-related

traffic fatalities dropped again to a new historical low and represented

a smaller percentage of the total traffic fatalities, 38% in 1999 as compared

to 39% in 1998.

The very next

month, Congress demonstrated its commitment to highway safety by passing

a transportation bill that had attached to it the changing of the national

standard for impaired driving from .10 to .08 BAC.

Last year,

impaired drivers were responsible for almost 16,000 fatalities nationwide,

accounting for 305,000 reported injuries. That translates to one person

dead every 33 minutes, and one person injured every two minutes.

There were

an estimated 1.5 million arrests of impaired drivers in 1997. Moreover,

in that same year, the death rate for young motor vehicle occupants (ages16-20

years) was more than twice that of the U.S. general population.

Analysis of

crashes involving youth show that teens are more likely to speed, run

red lights, make illegal turns, ride with an impaired driver, and drive

after drinking alcohol or using drugs.

As drivers

who are relatively new to the road, young adults under the age of 21 are

still learning to negotiate roadways and become familiar with the general

rules of the road. When alcohol is added, the mix can be deadly and the

criminal repercussions severe (DUI and underage drinking.)

Whether adult

or teen, the simple fact of the matter is that driving while impaired

is a crime.

Over the years,

alcohol has become an accepted, even expected fixture of holiday celebrations,

sporting events and social get-togethers. Therefore, it is common that

such situations arise, but they are easily avoided by choosing a designated

driver or planning alternate modes of transportation.

Unfortunately,

too many people continue to drive while impaired, citing inconvenience,

pride or embarrassment as excuses for their reckless behavior.

Studies show

that impairment begins at any blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over.00.

Though you may think that you can be charged with DUI only if you are

found to have a BAC of .08 or more, you can still be charged (even if

your BAC is, lets say .04) if you have been drinking, or are otherwise

chemically impaired to the extent that it is deemed to be "less safe"

for you to be driving, or otherwise in control of a motor-vehicle.

There is also

a three-hour window of opportunity within the law that allows a person

with an elevated BAC to be charged with DUI, so leaving the scene of an

accident won't work either.

BAC is affected

alcohol, amount of food consumed prior to drinking, etc), so answering

the question "How much is too much?" varies widely among individuals.

It is always

best to use a designated driver or make alternate travel arrangements

if you plan to drink. The only truly safe driving is sober driving.

The Fayette

County Health Department lends its support to NHTSA, local law enforcement,

and SAFE KIDS of Georgia in an effort to prevent impaired driving, and

raise awareness in our community about its deadly consequences. It is

time to address impaired driving as a serious issue that costs our residents

million of dollars each year in lost time, lost property and, most importantly,

lost lives. The greatest tragedy is that deaths due to alcohol-related

crashes are not accidents they are preventable.

You can help

keep our roads safe and saves lives (maybe even your own) by remembering:

YOU DRINKor DRUG, & DRIVE YOU LOSE.