Drunk Driving In America

In this ambitious interdisciplinary study, James B. Jacobs provides the first comprehensive review and analysis of America's drunk driving problem and of America's anti-drunk driving policies and jurisprudence. In a clear and accessible style, he considers what has been learned, what is being done, and what constitutional limits exist to the control and enforcement of drunk driving.

Don’t drink and drive. It's a deceptively simple rule, but one that is all too often ignored. And while efforts to eliminate drunk driving have been around as long as automobiles, every movement to keep drunks from driving has hit some alarming bumps in the road. Barron H. Lerner narrates the two strong—and vocal—sides to this debate in the United States: those who argue vehemently against drunk driving, and those who believe the problem is exaggerated and overregulated. A public health professor and historian of medicine, Lerner asks why these opposing views exist, examining drunk driving in the context of American beliefs about alcoholism, driving, individualism, and civil liberties. Angry and bereaved activist leaders and advocacy groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving campaign passionately for education and legislation, but even as people continue to be killed, many Americans remain unwilling to take stronger steps to address the problem. Lerner attributes this attitude to Americans’ love of drinking and love of driving, an inadequate public transportation system, the strength of the alcohol lobby, and the enduring backlash against Prohibition. The stories of people killed and maimed by drunk drivers are heartrending, and the country’s routine rejection of reasonable strategies for ending drunk driving is frustratingly inexplicable. This book is a fascinating study of the culture of drunk driving, grassroots and professional efforts to stop it, and a public that has consistently challenged and tested the limits of individual freedom. Why, despite decades and decades of warnings, do people still choose to drive while intoxicated? One for the Road provides crucial historical lessons for understanding the old epidemic of drunk driving and the new epidemic of distracted driving.

This unique volume discusses research, policy, and treatment approaches to one of America’s most serious problems--the drunk driver. The authors--many of the countries most dedicated professionals from academic, research, correctional, public health, and judicial system backgrounds--present an extraordinary array of creative and thought-provoking approaches to the drunk driver. Their thorough descriptions will help you better understand the drunk driver, and their exploration of new sentencing and treatment strategies provides a comprehensive look at the options to confronting and solving the problem of alcohol and traffic safety in the United States. Chapters challenge many long-held assumptions about those who drink and drive; address policy issues; examine the need for culturally specific education and training programs for police, court officials, and human service providers; and offer helpful suggestions for designing programs for women and adolescent offenders.

Alcohol is a killerâ€"1 of every 13 deaths in the United States is alcohol-related. In addition, 5 percent of the population consumes 50 percent of the alcohol. The authors take a close look at the problem in a "classy little study," as The Washington Post called this book. The Library Journal states, "...[T]his is one book that addresses solutions....And it's enjoyably readable....This is an excellent review for anyone in the alcoholism prevention business, and good background reading for the interested layperson." The Washington Post agrees: the book "...likely will wind up on the bookshelves of counselors, politicians, judges, medical professionals, and law enforcement officials throughout the country."

"Providing step-by-step instruction in defense of a drunk driving case in California, California Drunk Driving Defense outlines what to anticipate and how to prepare for DUI/DWI pretrial and trial proceedings. The authors provide information on sentencing, license suspension, and revocation, as well as strategy guidance regarding: Field evidence and the arresting officer; What to expect and how to prepare for pretrial and trial proceedings; Methods to challenge the Intoxilyzer, Intoximeter, and blood and urine analyses; Tasks for cross-examination of the chemical expert and the arresting officer; Professional responsibility issues; Civilian witnesses; Substantive offenses; Giving compelling jury instructions; Suppression of evidence, and Successfully attacking prior convictions" -- http://legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/law-products/Treatises/California-Drunk-Driving-Defense-5th/p/104310653

Alcohol-impaired driving is an important health and social issue as it remains a major risk to Americans' health today, surpassing deaths per year of certain cancers, HIV/AIDS, and drownings, among others, and contributing to long-term disabilities from head and spinal injuries. Progress has been made over the past decades towards reducing these trends, but that progress has been incremental and has stagnated more recently. Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities examines which interventions (programs, systems, and policies) are most promising to prevent injuries and death from alcohol-impaired driving, the barriers to action and approaches to overcome them, and which interventions need to be changed or adopted. This report makes broad-reaching recommendations that will serve as a blueprint for the nation to accelerate the progress in reducing alcohol-impaired driving fatalities.