Drive Hammered. Get Nailed. DUI Enforcement Emphasis - In Washington State, the DRE program and toxicology testing are resulting in better identification of the effects of drugs on drivers.Between 1998 and 2007, drug-involved traffic deaths increased by 150 percent. During this time, the number of deceased drivers tested for drugs increased by 60 percent.
It is also important to emphasize that any law enforcement officer can arrest a driver suspected of DUI.
Impaired driving is the leading cause of traffic deaths in Washington. Last year, impaired drivers contributed to the deaths of nearly half of the 522 people who died on Washington’s roadways. The 233 impaired driver-involved deaths in 2008 represent a decrease of 40 fatalities compared to the previous five-year average.
Nationally, there were almost 13,000 people killed by impaired drivers during 2007. Those preventable deaths represent an average of one person being killed every 40 minutes in the United States. Impaired Driving Fact Sheet
Myths about Impaired Driving:
There are numerous myths surrounding impaired driving, chief of which is that one must have consumed alcohol in order to be arrested for DUI. Drivers can become impaired by the use of illegal, prescription, and even over-the-counter drugs, or some combination of these, with or without the presence of alcohol.
FALSE: You can sober up quickly by drinking coffee, taking a cold shower or consuming an energy drink.
TRUTH: Only time will sober you up. It typically takes about one hour for each drink that has been consumed.
FALSE: It’s OK to drive impaired if you are only going a short distance.
TRUTH: It is never safe to drive under the influence.
FALSE: My doctor wouldn’t have prescribed the medicine if it wasn’t safe to drive while taking it.
TRUTH: Prescription medications can impair you. If the bottle indicates that it is not safe to operate heavy machinery, you should not drive after taking that medication.
FALSE: I can’t be arrested for DUI if I am under a .08.
TRUTH: You can be arrested for DUI if your ability to drive is affected by any substance, regardless of your blood alcohol content (BAC).
Please Note...The following program estimates your BAC reading at a more conservative level than actual BAC readings can detect. The SCTSC maintains that even one drink will impair your ability to some extent --- therefore, if you are going to drink, don't operate a motor vehicle or boat under any circumstances.
I have had
over a period of hour(s)2.
I am Male Female
(Explanation of gender differences in Blood
Alcohol Concentration)
and I weigh Pounds Kilograms
and I live in
(so that the result is displayed in the appropriate units).
The Intoximeters Inc. "Drink Wheel"1 is a form that you can fill out. Upon completion we will instantly compute your estimated blood/breath alcohol concentration ("BAC") based on the information that you have provided and return that estimate to you. It is presented as a public service to Intoximeters web site visitors. Its primary purpose is to provide useful information about the responsible use of alcohol.
Why is it called a "Drink Wheel"?
We call it the "Drink Wheel" because it is based on various paper and cardboard BAC calculators that are given out in alcohol awareness programs, some of which are in the form of a wheel that you can spin around to calculate your estimated BAC based on what and how much you have had to drink.
Disclaimer
It would be extremely foolish for us
to pretend that our "Drink Wheel" can tell you what your BAC actually is, first because it would open us up to an incredible amount of potential liability and second if it really did work accurately there would be no need for anyone to buy the instruments that we make and sell.
A person's actual BAC is dependent on many complex factors, including their physical condition (body composition, health etc...) and what they have recently ingested (including food, water, medications and other drugs). This site includes a more detailed discussion of the Pharmacology and Disposition of alcohol in humans.
The results that are generated are rough estimates of an average healthy person's BAC assuming typical beverage sizes, recipes and alcohol content. The BAC estimates generated by the Drink Wheel should not be used to infer anyone's fitness to work, drive or perform any other task or duty.
