Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over for the Holidays
‘Tis the season to hear warnings about the number of drivers who choose to drive after enjoying holiday celebrations.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is teaming up with law enforcement and state agencies to remind us that drinking and driving is illegal. As part of the seasonal and national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, expect to see a visible effort on the roadways to cut down on drunk driving, such as sobriety checkpoints and patrols and media reminders in public service campaigns.
GHSA reports in a press release issued December 14 that 415 people lost their lives in crashes involving a drunk driver in the last half of December in 2010. New Year’s Day, January 1, is among the Top Five deadliest days of the year for U.S. drivers.
Florida Law Concerning Alcohol
According to the GHSA, Florida considers a high blood-alcohol content (BAC) to be .20 or higher, the highest degree of intoxication among all of the states. The minimum level for intoxication is 0.08. A first offense can bring six months in jail. A high BAC at .15 or higher can mean a mandatory ignition-interlock on the vehicle requiring a driver to breathe into a device before the ignition lock will allow him or her to drive.
The holidays will not be a good time to drink and drive, not that it’s ever a good time for that exercise. Instead, name a designated driver who does not care to drink, or plan to take a cab to and from your party. The Jacksonville drunk driving accident injury lawyers at Farah & Farah suggest these arrangements be made before the party not after a few drinks when you are less likely to be reasonable.
Source: http://www.ghsa.org/html/media/pressreleases/2011/20111214_dsogpo.html; http://www.madd.org/
