10 Facts About The Common DWI

Updated 08/01/20

man drinking a beer at the wheel - Springfield DWI lawyers

If you search the internet for information concerning a DWI then there is a lot of information out there. Unfortunately, most of the information you find is either incorrect or “sugar-coated” with a lot of doom and gloom in order to falsely convey the perspective of those giving you the so-called facts. We here at DWI Springfield wanted to bring you some interesting but true facts about the DWI.

They Lost Their Way

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is known as one of the most vocal political groups around. What you probably didn’t know is that it’s founder Candice Lightner (started the group after her teenage daughter was killed by a drunk driver) left the very organization that she started when she believed their focus shifted from preventing drunk driving to preventing alcohol consumption in general.

In Your Bloodstream

Because alcohol uses the water in your body to dilute itself, the vital organs that contain a high amount of water are the most vulnerable to its effects, such as the brain.

BAC Levels

A driver is considered to be legally drunk when To reach a BAC level of .08 g/dL. This means that if a man weighs roughly 170 lbs, he would need to consume 4 standard drinks per hour to reach this level. On the other hand, a woman approximately 140 lbs would have to consume only 3 of the same drinks per hour to reach the same levels.

It Happens to Us All

About 1 in 10 Americans will be somehow involved in an alcohol-related accident at some point in their lives.

BAC levels and Time

If you are ever stranded at a bar and want to sober up before heading home, you might want to reconsider. It takes approximately 6 hours for the human body to completely rid itself of alcohol from the system with a BAC level of .08 g/dL.

Motorcycles

With all the talk about motorcycle safety, it’s amazing how many risks are truly taken on a bike. 27% of accidents in 2007 involved a drunk motorcycle operator.

Underage

It should be no surprise to anyone that the highest rates of drunk driving are between the ages of 21-24. The highest rate of fatal crashes (75%) occurs between midnight and 3 AM.

Man VS. Woman

Men are roughly twice as likely to drive under the influence than a woman.

Revoking a License

According to “A Comparison of the Cell Phone and the Drunk Driver” a suspended or revoked license isn’t as effective as a punishment as it seems. Roughly 50%-75% of drivers who have been convicted will still drive despite the lack of a license.

And the most popular is…

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), the most common drink of choice for those that receive a DWI in America is beer. On a side note, it is also the preferred drink for both underage drinking and binge drinking.

If you find yourself a victim of a false DWI call DWI Springfield and we will be there for you to protect your rights.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Motor Vehicle Safety: Impaired Driving

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Traffic Safety Facts: 2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment “Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities”

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Traffic Safety Facts: Alcohol-Impaired Driving

Van Tuyl, Christine. 2006. Drunk Driving. Chicago, IL: “RCL Against Drunk Driving” Greenhaven Press.