Cuevas 1

Jorge Cuevas

Professor McCann

English 1302 203

13 March 2022

The Policy of Alcohol and its Effect on Drunk Driving

The global crisis on the policy of alcohol has been a controversial topic that has caused

differing opinions. Many will argue that alcohol is a leading cause of drunk driving.

Additionally, many more will then believe that there should be restrictions implemented to avoid

this crisis. However, stating an opinion on a global issue is completely different than committing

the action towards actually preventing it. Researchers have stated their judgment on the matter at

hand and discussed what could be adjusted to solve alcohol policies and their effect on drunk

driving. Nevertheless, this research analysis provides several key points that highlight what sort

of agreements, disagreements, arguments, and limitations researchers have stated about the

policy of alcohol associated with drunk driving.

Agreements on Alcohol Policies

Most authors agreed that alcohol was a leading cause of drunk driving accidents.

Furthermore, they also stated that restrictions and regulations should be implemented to control

traffic accidents. For example, Rehm et al. discussed different risk factors such as advertisement

bans, an increase in age purchasing requirements, and legislation on drunk driving (655).

Additionally, Rehm et al. conducted an experiment that measured how crashes and deaths on the

road were associated with alcohol involvement and how it was acquired (657). As an emphasis,

the authors decided to tackle similar issues that all concern the same conflict (Rehm et al. 656-

657). Moreover, to prevent drunk driving accidents, Anund et al. hypothesized how new
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technologies could reduce the number of under the influence catastrophes and how it can be

implemented as a law (336). To address their hypothesis, Anund et al conducted a study that

discussed the impacts of a new vehicle-based system used for alcohol detection (337). Likewise,

the authors claimed that these innovations could be seen in the near future, and information

concerning the topic could revolutionize how drunk driving is evaluated (Anund et al. 337-340).

Put it another way, both authors discussed how the policy and prevention of alcohol on drunk

driving could be revolutionized for the better. In addition, each claim made by the authors

strengthen their overall goal to improve implications that could be seen to decrease traffic

accidents. All in all, both groups of authors described their opinion on a global crisis and

conducted experiments that concluded how drunk driving could supposedly witness a decrease

soon.

Disagreements on Alcohol Policies

On the contrary, while many authors’ claims have supported the goal to prevent drunk

driving tragedies, others have stated setbacks concerning alcohol and driving under the influence.

For instance, Kaufman and Wiebe elaborated on the impacts that interlock laws had on alcohol-

involved crashes and how society reacted to them (865). As an emphasis, the authors stated that

interlocks were a system of devices that would be added to vehicles that would be able to tell the

alcohol percentage in the blood system of the individual (Kaufman and Wiebe 865-866).

Through their discussion, Kaufman and Wiebe asserted that interlock laws are not mandatory in

all states resulting in an unbalance of traffic accidents (866-867). Consequently, many were in

disagreement with the implementation of interlock devices in their vehicles, and because of large

protests, the laws were never made mandatory in certain states (Kaufman and Wiebe 868-869).

Moreover, to add to the debate, Sylvester and Markel-Haider further analyzed the reasons
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concerning why interlock laws are not mandatory all over the United States (491). The authors

began by mentioning how other factors such as increased taxes, political viewpoints, and

interlock policies all contribute to the neglect of implementing interlock laws (Sylvester and

Merkel-Haider 491-492). Likewise, Sylvester and Markel-Haider stated that interlock laws had

to undergo government approval which means that other outside factors contributed to the

disapproval of these laws (493-496). Overall, both research groups concluded that many factors

such as political and social ones all contributed to the avoidance of implementing interlock laws

in several states.

Arguments about Alcohol Policies

Moreover, studies conducted have found that the majority of the U.S population are

concerned with unnecessary blood alcohol content laws and ineffective sober programs. As a

foundation, Andrea described how many citizens have argued against state laws that require

people to be analyzed based on their blood alcohol content levels (482). The authors conducted a

study that explained why many citizens were against these unethical practices and mentioned

that many of them stated that such laws went against the fourth amendment (Andrea 484). As an

emphasis, the fourth amendment states that no person shall be unreasonably searched by the

government without a proper warrant. Nevertheless, Andrea further analyzed the issue and

concluded that the law has both freedoms and national securities involved with it (498). On the

other hand, Andrews et al. argued that sober programs around the world are unsuccessful in their

goal to help people stay clean. Furthermore, the authors addressed how drunk driving is a high

cause of traffic accidents and how many programs already established are not doing anything to

prevent this conflict (Andrews et al.). As a solution, Andrews et al. hypothesized that programs

should illustrate to people what real-world situations and consequences will arise from drunk
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driving. To support this, the authors elaborated on the idea of a new VR program that can put

people in real-world situations in which they are driving under the influence (Andrews et al.).

Put it another way, new programs, such as the one described by Andrews et al., could potentially

lead to positive outcomes of preventing drunk driving accidents. Nonetheless, Andrews et al,

argued that already existing programs could be remolded to their ideas that could possibly have

beneficial and effective impacts on decreasing drunk driving tragedies. As a conclusion, both

groups of authors analyzed and argued on already implemented factors to prevent driving while

intoxicated and suggested possible theories that have the potential to limit the national crisis on

alcohol policies.

Limitations to Studies Conducted on Alcohol Policies

Consequently, many of the theories and studies conducted by the researchers faced

several social, technological, and political limitations.

To rephrase everything that has been stated, (Conclusion TBD).

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Works Cited

Andrea, Timothy. “The Exigencies of Drunk Driving: Cripps v. State and the Issues with Taking

Drivers' Blood Without a Warrant.” Electronic Supplement, vol. 59, no. 9, 22 May 2018, pp.

482-498.

Andrews, Jessica, et al. “A ‘Hands on’ Public Service Program to Help People Stay Sober and Safer on

the Roadway.” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 19, 3 Oct. 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910979.

Accessed 7 Mar. 2022.

Anund, Anna, et al. “Stakeholders’ Opinions on a Future In-Vehicle Alcohol Detection System for

Prevention of Drunk Driving.” Traffic Injury Prevention, vol. 16, no. 4, Dec. 2014, pp. 336-344,

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15389588.2014.940579. Accessed 7 Mar. 2022.

Kaufman, Elinore J., and Wiebe, Douglas J. “Impact of State Ignition Interlock Laws on Alcohol-

Involved Crash Deaths in the United States.” AJPH Research, vol. 106, no. 5, May 2016, pp.

865-871.

Rehm, Jürgen, et al. “Alcohol control policy and changes in alcohol-related traffic harm.” Addiction,

vol. 115, no. 4, Apr. 2020, pp. 655-665, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31475395/. Accessed 7

Mar. 2022.

Sylvester, Steven M., and Markel-Haider, Donald P. “Buzz Kill: State Adoption of DUI Interlock Laws,

2005–11.” The Policy Studies Journal, vol. 44, no. 4, 2016, pp. 491-509.