Prim 1

Candice Bown, Anh Cao, Justin Montez, Katelynn Robbins, Mary White
Wade Bentley
ENGL1010 - 019
5 Aug 2015
Sotally Tober
Around 11:00 P.M. on June 24, 1999, 20 year old Chad Holt made
a decision that would forever end his life and affect thousands of
others when he decided to drink and get behind the wheel of his
vehicle. He was captain of his high school football team, had
recently finished his EMT Certification, and was currently enrolled
in the UFRA Fire Academy pursuing a career as a fireman. He had
an infectious smile, loved to help others, and made everyone feel
good just by being in the same room with him. He could not stand to see another person in pain.
He was the guy that always saved the day.
However, on that night, he made a string of bad choices. His friend had recently turned
21 and got a job working as a bartender at a local bar. He invited him to celebrate his recent
accomplishment: becoming EMT certified. His friend spoke to the bouncer, getting him right
into the bar, and onto a bar stool. Countless drinks were poured, and Chad drank each one placed
in front of him. After a few hours, Chad needed to get home so that he could be up early for
firefighter training.
He got into his brand new Jeep Wrangler and sped along Highland Drive toward home.
Not only was speed a factor, but he had a blood alcohol level of almost 0.2, more than twice the
legal limit. As he came around a turn in front of the movie theatre on Murray Holladay Road, he

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hit a curb and rolled his Jeep. End over end the jeep flipped four times before coming to a stop.
Normally, Chad stood at about 62, but his body was ejected, smashing his bones and
compressing his spine to look like that of a 12 year-old boy.
Chad had countless friends and family that went into shock after losing him, including
one of our own group members. It took years to emotionally recover from such a loss. The friend
that had served him all of those drinks still blames himself 16 years later. Miraculously, in this
crash, nobody else was physically injured. In many other stories, this is not the case. According
to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) there were 34 fatalities in Utah due to drunk driving
related accidents in 2012 alone (par. 1).
It is easy to dismiss the message from Chads story, but this could be your child, brother,
husband, friend, or co-worker. Would something like this be as easy to ignore? The answer to
that is obvious. Chads life ended in tragedy, but what are often ignored are the tragedies that
follow. He was meant to do so much good for this world, as a friend to all. It was not just his life
that was lost that night, but if his life were to have continued, think of the countless lives that he
could have saved as a firefighter. It is easy to look at him as a single statistic, but in reality, that
number exponentiates.
Whether you drink or not, everyone has the potential of being harmed by drunk driving.
In a survey we conducted, we asked 58 random people a set of questions. Over half of the nondrinkers responded that they have been personally affected by drunk driving. Just think, you
could be next. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World says, Alcohol kills more teenagers than
all other drugs combined. It is a factor in the three leading causes of death among 15- to 24-yearolds: accidents, homicides and suicides (par. 1). Drunk driving affects everyone on the roads, on
sidewalks, or anywhere nearby. Intoxicated drivers can cause injuries, fatalities, and property

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damage in the community. Drunk driving is dangerous, but it is also expensive. Drunk driving
costs the average adult $800/year and the United States $199 billion/year (MADD par. 7). Money
is already tight in the U.S. This is an additional reason why we believe drunk driving to be such a
pressing issue.
The roads that we use everyday are littered with drivers who make the decision to drink
and get behind the wheel of a car. No matter how efficient you are at defensive driving, many are
caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. In these situations, there is no way to protect
yourself from a drunk driver. People of any age, sex, or race are all put at risk. But the question
is, what really causes these crashes?
When the brain is affected by alcohol, neurotransmitters are slowed - meaning, the brain
cannot function as quickly or efficiently as it normally would be capable of. The chemicals in
alcohol interfere with proper processing of the other stimuli in the body, causing signals to slow
or not fully transmit. The frontal lobe of the brain does the decision making, and when the
neurotransmitters do not travel the correct way, people that are drunk can make life-threatening
decisions (Kirslis par. 9).
So if everyone has been informed of the dangers and science behind drinking and driving,
what is the reason they still do it? After analyzing this and asking around, we have come up with
a few possible rationales people might have. In the survey our group conducted, of the 58 people,
22 people admitted that they drink and drive. Some of the most common reasons they gave were
a lack of preparation, overconfidence, and inconvenience.
They gave reasons including: I need my car in the morning, I dont want to get a
parking ticket, or I just was embarrassed and I didnt want to admit to anyone that I had been
drinking. There was also a majority of the people that pleaded that they were capable of driving

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even though they were drunk. This overconfidence led to justifications such as: waiting a half
hour or so to sober up, being extra cautious, driving only a short distance, or other such
defenses. In truth, their intoxicated mind believed in their ability to drive more than their
potential to harm themselves and others.
People that drink and drive do not take all of the warnings and dangers seriously. They
say, it wont happen to me. After looking deeply into this, what seems to be the root of all the
excuses for drunk driving, and what has seemed to infect many Americans, is selfishness. Our
individual actions affect those around us. Unfortunately when people lose sight of this, they put
everyone around them in danger.
For people that drink and drive, deaths and injuries are only statistics. They dont apply to
them. But for the families and friends of those who die as a result of drinking and driving, each
number represents a significant loss. One of our group members has had many experiences
persuading others to not drive when they are drunk. Something that she has had success with is
discussing with them the possibility that they might injure or kill someone else. Suddenly when
the person understands the gravity of the situation, and thinks of others, they are much more
likely to make the decision not to drive while still under the influence of alcohol. The cause of
drunk driving is people drink and then they drive.
Drunk driving has caused many community safety issue. Consequently, there have been
many different measures taken to try to prevent it. Some have been quite successful, while others
have shown to have no significant effect on the number of people that decide to drink and drive.
The legal limit, specifically in Utah, is 0.08%. But there are many incidents with drunk
driving that have drivers with alcohol levels that are below the legal limit, in which they still are
incapable of being in control of their car. Because of this, Utah tried to lower the legal blood

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alcohol content through passing a law. However, many argued that it would make no difference
(Lee par. 6). Changing the limit does not change their routine to drive home after ingesting
alcohol. Legislation can create new fines, new laws, or new restrictions, but it hasnt shown to be
much help throughout cities in Australia, Europe, or South America (Lee par. 11). People may
have more consequences, but these consequences are still ignored when their judgment is
impaired by alcohol.
Fairly new, is the idea of alcohol ignition interlock systems. When installed in a car, the
driver must first breathe into the machine, and if their BAC is too high, the car will not start. This
prevents people from driving under the influence. The judge will order that they get an alcohol
ignition interlock system along with any other restrictions the judge deems necessary on their
license. The judge determines how long the alcohol ignition interlock system must be there.
From that point, the court can monitor them (Ignition Interlock Help par. 2, 3, 22). There is
evidence suggesting that alcohol ignition interlock systems are effective while they are installed
in a car, however, further research needs to be done to determine whether or not they are
effective at preventing further offences once they are removed from the car (Department of
Emergency Medicine Par. 5, 6). The National Transportation Safety Board has now
recommended that alcohol ignition interlock systems should be installed upon the offender's first
DUI offence. This is now being implemented in Utah as of December 2012 (Insurance
Information Institute par. 1).
The D.A.R.E program has been a solution to substance abuse problems and is familiar to
many. However, there were times throughout the programs history where critics doubted its
effectiveness. Scientists noticed that the D.A.R.E program did little to prevent those from
consuming drugs or alcohol (Kanof par. 2). The program consisted mainly of officers lecturing

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students on the dangers and effects of substance use, hoping that warning alone would suffice. It
was concluded that the program simply didnt work.
However, in 2009, the D.A.R.E program adopted a more active hands on approach,
Keepin It Real. While the old program was primarily designed by police officers, the Keepin
It Real approach was co-designed by prevention scientists and law enforcement. This new
program shies away from lengthy lectures and focuses more on lessons that provide students
with real world applications and gives them tools that they can use later in life. Co-designer
Michelle Miller-Day of Chapman University said, Its not a drug program Its about things
like being honest, safe, and responsible (par. 3). Studies show that the Keepin It Real program
has not only reduced substance abuse, but has maintained an anti-drug attitude that lasts over
time (Miller-Day par. 3).
Our group organized an email interview with Lieutenant Nigbur of the Utah Highway
Patrol. As another attempt to decrease the number of people driving under the influence, police
are taking significant action in the community to reduce drunk driving. They are an important
force needed in the community to prevent and mitigate drunk driving (par. 2). Specifically, the
Utah Highway patrol has procedures for DUI saturation for holiday weekends, where drinking is
common, so there are more troopers on duty to take impaired drivers off the roads. They also
have an entirely separate entity to patrol for drunk driving (par. 4). To further explain:
We have a full time DUI squad made up of 1 Sergeant and 6 Troopers. The sole focus
of the DUI Squad is to look for and apprehend the impaired driver. They do not take
normal duty calls or calls for service. This group of highly trained officers work
Wednesday thru Sunday each week and accomplish this mission. This year these officers

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have arrested (YTD) 316 persons for DUI and in my opinion have prevented DUI
fatalities that we will never know about (par. 4).
There is also an attempt made by many innovative companies, such as Uber and Lyft, to
lower the number of drunk driving incidents. These companies operate through a Smartphone
application to let drivers, who have screened driving records, background checks, and vehicle
inspections, operate personal vehicles similar to a taxi (Lyft Safety par. 8-14). Generally, these
services are known as being more convenient for bar-hopping and getting home at night. Data
from 2004 to 2014 has recently shown a drop in average DUIs around 2012, when these
companies were first introduced (Badger par. 5). Unfortunately, recent data collected from the
same areas have shown that DUIs are starting to rise again (par. 12).
There are many different solution attempts that have already been implemented in Utah.
Some have made a difference, such as Alcohol Ignition Interlock Systems, increased police
enforcement, and the DARE program. We decided to do is develop a new plan that encompasses
what has been working in the past, also including what we believe to be the answer to this
problem in the future. The solution isnt simple, but there are many measures that can be taken to
lower the amount of cases of drunk driving and to better protect the community from these
potential dangers.
As our group discussed and worked on finding a solution to this problem, one of our
group members pointed out that whatever our plan is, it would need to involve something that
people can actively do before they start drinking. This way, they can be thinking clearly when
they take the measures necessary to prevent driving under the influence. This realization led us to
the conclusion that we need to give people an even stronger motivation to plan ahead. In this
case, the decision has already been determined and made convenient when they are already

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under the influence. Troy Marshall, a former Trooper for the Utah Highway Patrol suggested in
an email interview, Program in your phone numbers of a taxi or shuttle services that you could
call if you decide to drink. Bring a friend as a designated driver (par. 5).
If we increase the amount of billboards, advertisements, commercials, and other types of
media targeting the negative effects of drunk driving, it could decrease the amount of people that
make the decision to drink and drive. For example, there was a picture posted on Twitter that
said, Dont be the one to kill somebody tonight. With social media being frequently used
today, we feel that powerful messages liked, shared, retweeted or otherwise spread will reach
many different people, and remind them of the possible negative consequences of drunk driving.
MADD has a donations website, a volunteer website, and many other ways that we can
help. They have turned into a $46 million organization (MADD par. 2). Rather than start up a
new organization, we believe that by partnering with them, we will be able to be most effective.
We plan to do our best at educating others through our own use of media, and we will try to
persuade others to do the same.
We believe that by providing more transportation services for those who decide to drink,
it would create easier circumstances, which could persuade them to not drive while drunk.
Specifically in Utah, we believe that there could be a boost in public transportation. The roads
would be a safer place if TRAX could extend its services during the evening and early morning
hours. TRAX has expanded to the point where the stations are very close to most homes. Drivers
could use a car service to and from the TRAX station, and this would make the commute back
from a night of drinking cheaper than only using taxi services, Uber, Lyft, or similar services the
entire way home. TRAX, in combination with car services, can create a much more convenient
and safe way to go home at night after drinking.

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As a group we decided to implement this plan through change.org. One of our group
members belongs to this website, and has seen many plans put into action. We would organize a
petition to the Transportation Commission or the Governor in order for them to stay open until an
hour after bars close. We believe that when we share this essay with readers, that they will accept
this as a valid plan and offer their support on this petition.
While these are short term solutions, they lead us directly into our long term solution. As
Trooper Marshall said his interview, As a former police officer, the only real way to be safe
when it comes to drinking and driving is don't do it. If you are going to drink, don't drive (par
6). We believe as we continue to implement our short term solutions: alcohol ignition interlock
systems, additional transportation options, and the use of media, that eventually we will have
created a society that looks down on drunk driving. Once it is socially unacceptable in a majority
of groups, we will see a big change and a decrease in the amount of drunk driving accidents.

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Works Cited
Badger, Emily. "Are Uber and Lyft Responsible for Reducing DUIs?"Washington Post. The
Washington Post, 10 July 2014. Web. 29 July 2015.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2014/07/10/are-uber-and-lyft-resp
onsible-for-reducing-duis/>
Department of Emergency Medicine, "Effectiveness of Ignition Interlock Devices in Reducing
Drunk Driving Recidivism." Web. 30 July. 2015.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9921390>
Foundation for a Drug-Free World. "The Truth About Alcohol." A Drug Free-World. N.p., 2006.
Web. 27 July 2015.
<http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/alcohol/international-statistics.html>
Ignition Interlock Help "Ignition Interlock FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions." Ignition
Interlock Help. Ignition Interlock Help, 2014. Web. 4 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.ignitioninterlockhelp.com/faq/#faq04>.
Insurance Information Institute, Inc "Drunk Driving." Drunk Driving. 1 July 2015. Web. 30 July
2015. <http://www.iii.org/issue-update/drunk-driving>.
Kanof, Marjorie E. "Youth Illicit Drug Use Prevention: DARE Long-Term Evaluations." U.S.
GAO. Government Accountability Office, 15 Jan. 2003. Web. 04 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-03-172R>
Kirslis, Julia. "Drunk Driving: Why Do People Do It?" Andrew G. Gordon, Inc. N.p., 2 Sept.
2013. Web. 27 July 2015.
<http://www.agordon.com/blog/bid/184751/Drunk-Driving-Why-Do-People-DoIt>.

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Lee, Jason. "Debate over Lowering Blood-alcohol Driving Limit Hits Utah's Capitol Hill"
KSL.com, 16 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 July 2015. <http://www.ksl.com/?sid=27272699>
"Lyft Safety." Lyft. Lyft, 2015. Web. 29 July 2015. <https://www.lyft.com/safety>
"MADD - 2012 Drunk Driving Fatalities by State." MADD - 2012 Drunk Driving Fatalities by
State. MADD, 2015. Web. 29 July. 2015.
<http://www.madd.org/blog/2013/november/2012-drunk-driving-fatalities.html>
Marshall, Troy. E-mail interview. 2 August 2015.
Miller-Day, Michelle. The New D.A.R.E Program- This One Works. D.A.R.E America.
Curriculum News. 2014. Web <http://www.dare.org/the-new-dare-program-this-oneworks>
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor
Vehicle Crashes, 2010. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May
2014,

Web. 27 July 2015. <http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf>

Nigbur, Jeff. E-mail interview. 30 July 2015.

United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States: 2013
<http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/about/drunk-driving-statistics.html?referrer=>