Two different studies were published recently that show a disturbing trend for women in the US. The two studies, the FBI annual Crime in the United States Report and AAA's Consumer Pulse report on Alcohol Awareness by Gender show that women are getting arrested for DUI at a much higher rate compared with men and teens. The AAA report shows gender attitudes towards alcohol use while the FBI report shows raw figures on the arrest rates for DUI in the US.

The FBI crime statistics for 2010 show that arrests for DUI are the second most common type of arrest in the US after arrests for drug possession. While more men were arrested for DUI than women, a comparison of arrests show that, comparing the year 2010 to 2001, DUI arrests among men have gone down by 10.7 percent while arrests of women have increased by 36 percent.

Even teens seem to have gotten the word. DUI arrests for males under the age of 18 have gone down by more than 47 percent compared to 2001, while the arrest rate for teen girls has gone down by 18 percent. Overall, teen DUI arrests have gone down by 42 percent compared to 2001.

The rates hold true when comparing the 2009 rates to 2010. Between 2009 and 2010, DUI arrests of males decreased by 2 percent and teen DUI arrests decreased by 10 percent. DUI arrests for women increased by 3.3 percent between 2009 and 2010.

The authors of the AAA Consumer Pulse report said;

“The rise in women driving while intoxicated may be due to many influences including a greater social acceptance of women drinking, more venues that cater to women’s only happy hours, and increasing social or work functions that may trigger pressure to drink. While nearly four out of five consumers (79%) think it is more socially acceptable for women to drink now than compared to 20 years ago, 30 percent of consumers do not think women process alcohol differently than men.

Interestingly, the majority of consumers are not aware women can become intoxicated faster than men because women have a higher concentration of body fat (65%) or that variations in hormonal levels can cause women to become intoxicated faster (68%). Just one 16-ounce frozen margarita or a few cocktails can easily cause an average-size female who drinks during a two-hour time period to reach the .08 blood alcohol limit quicker than a man. While amounts will vary by person, it’s important to understand it may not take much alcohol to become legally impaired."

AAA stresses the importance of having a plan A for a safe ride home anytime someone goes out to have an alcoholic beverage since it’s uncertain how alcohol will affect a person at any given moment.

AAA Reminds Women to be Aware of the Following that Can Affect How They Process Alcohol:

• Amount of body fat versus muscle can impact how alcohol is processed in women
• Variations in hormonal levels can cause women to become intoxicated quicker than they normally would
• Men's bodies are equipped to dilute alcohol more efficiently than women because women have less water content in their bodies than men
• Women process alcohol slower than men because women have lower concentrations of an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol

Additional Findings from AAA's Consumer Pulse™ Survey:

• 12 percent of men said they drink alcoholic beverages daily, equal to the 11 percent of women who said they drink daily
• 28 percent of men said they drink alcoholic beverages 2 to 3 times a week, compared to 18 percent of women who said they drink alocholic beverages 2 to 3 times a week
• In the past 12 months, 13 percent of men said they have been concerned for a female friend and/or family member's safety who seemed to be intoxicated

Labels: AAA report, drinking and driving, driving under the influence, dui, dui arrests, dwi

As the New Year approaches and parties are being planned, hosts should be aware of their liabilities and responsibilities when it comes to serving alcohol.

Every state has some form of a little known law known as the "Social Host Liability Law". Most of these laws are sub-chapters of "Dram Shop" laws. Dram shop laws are those laws that set out the responsibilities and liabilities for businesses such as bars and restaurants that regularly serve alcohol. Social Host laws however refer to the responsibilities and liabilities for a home owner or party host.

In most states the Social Host laws refer primarily to a homeowner who knowingly serves alcohol to a minor. While most responsible adults would never consider serving alcohol to a minor, a surprising number of adults either actively serve alcohol at parties attended by minors or turn a blind eye when their teens are hosting a party where alcohol is served. A recent article in the Brockton, MA Enterprise cited a survey conducted by Hingham High School where students were asked if they had attended parties where parents allowed teens to drink. More than 25 percent of freshmen and juniors at the school answered that they had attended such parties – an increase of 30 percent since 2008. A similar study at seven schools in Concord MA revealed that 27 percent of the students had attended parties where parents allowed teens to drink.

Social Host laws also hold parents criminally responsible even if they were unaware that the teens had sneaked the alcohol in. A Stanford professor who recently hosted a party for his son and friends specifically stated that no alcohol was allowed. Apparently, without the professor's knowledge, some of the teens brought alcohol to the party and police showed up around 11:00 pm to investigate. The professor was charged with 44 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor - one for each teen at the party.

While there are separate laws concerning supplying alcohol to a minor, Social Host laws go further and hold the host both criminally and civilly liable if one of their guests causes injury to a third party. Some Social Host laws also prohibit serving alcohol to someone – teen or adult – who has a known drinking problem. Other states hold the host liable if they provide keys to an intoxicated adult who went on to injure a third party in a collision.

Parents who have the idea that they would rather have their kids drinking “safely” at home rather than out on the street need to remember their responsibility to be “Be A Parent, Not A Pal.” For hosts of adults, they should also be aware of their responsibilities and remember that old adage: "Friends Don"t Let Friends Drive Drunk."

To prevent one of your guests from leaving a party while intoxicated, a host has several options:

• Take the car keys from your guests as they enter and plan on them spending the night.


• Call a cab for your guests.


• Be aware of services provided by cab and towing companies or public transportation agencies that provide free or low cost rides on New Year's Eve.


• Be a really good host, remain sober and be the designated driver for your guests.

For more information on Social Host laws in your state, visit: http://www.socialhostliability.org/

Have a safe and a happy New Year.

Labels: driving under the influence, dui, parent responsibility, social hosting, teens, underage alcohol use

It can carry the same penalties as a DUI


With the Memorial Day weekend behind us, news reports have carried quite a few stories on Boating Under the Influence (BUI). A number of the news stories cited reports from state wildlife officers with the number of boaters arrested for BUI over the holiday weekend. Several articles contained stories about boaters who were jailed for injuring or killing passengers on their boat while operating under the influence.

For many, a day on the water with a fast boat and a cooler full of drinks go hand in hand --- but handling a boat while under the influence can have tragic results. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 18 people have been killed on Florida's waterways already this year. There is a long summer ahead and, unfortunately, that number is going to rise.

The US Coast Guard keeps figures on boating incidents nationwide and their latest report listed the boating accident, injury, and fatality figures for 2009. According to their report, operator inattention was the reason for most boating incidents but alcohol was responsible for the most fatalities. Of the top five contributing factors to boating incidents, alcohol use was responsible for 48 percent of the total fatalities.

Several states, including New York, Virginia, and Oklahoma have recently passed laws that toughen the penalties for BUI and bring their BUI laws in line with their Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws. Most states have set the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) for BUI at .08, the same level as that for a DUI. For underage boaters who drink, the same zero tolerance laws exist; meaning that a minor who operates a boat can be charged with BUI with a BAC level of as little as .01.

Many state laws require that a boater convicted of BUI lose his or her boating license and they can be suspended from operating a boat for a set period of time. Some states require that a boater convicted of BUI attend a boating safety course before being allowed to operate a boat again.

Other states go even further in treating a BUI the same as a DUI and suspend the boater's driving license as well as their boating privileges. A previous BUI conviction can count the same as a DUI making a later charge of DUI in an automobile a second offense. Some states also have laws requiring that a boater submit to breathalyzer and field sobriety tests; if they refuse, they face suspension of their driver's license. For more information on your state’s BUI laws, visit the Coast Guard website at: http://www.uscgboating.org/state_boating_laws.aspx

Many of the same rules one would use for driving should be applied to boating as well. Never operate a boat when you've been drinking. Use a designated operator if alcohol is going to be a part of your day on the water.

Most of the fatalities from boating incidents are due to drowning when the occupant falls or is thrown overboard. Make sure that you and all your passengers wear a life preserver at all times, even on the dock. There are new "fanny pack" life preservers available now that aren't as bulky as the typical life preserver. Also make sure you have a full fire extinguisher onboard.

You can request a "no harm-no foul" safety inspection from the Coast Guard and most state fish and wildlife agencies. Asking for a free inspection can point out safety deficiencies on your boat, allowing you to get them fixed before you are stopped for a surprise safety inspection on the open water.

Driving Safely on the Water: Summer Boating Safety

Labels: blood alcohol content, boating license, boating safety, bui, bui laws, driving under the influence, suspended license, US Coast Guard

Now in its 28th year, December remains to be National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month. Also known as the 3D campaign, it was established way back in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan, in an effort to promote education on the dangers of drunk or drugged driving during the holidays.

With the festivities, events and parties that people are bound to attend this month, there can be no better month to be chosen to educate drivers about safety, beginning at the start of the month, and ending just before the new year. Here are some facts about impaired driving due to illegal substance consumption:

• 1 in 3 fatal vehicular crashes involve an alcohol/drug-impaired driver.


• The highest rate of impaired drivers is young adults aged between 18 and 25.


• Even after the consumption of just 1 drink, decision-making abilities become impaired and drivers begin to lose their inhibitions. After 2 drinks, reasoning and memory are affected.


• 3 out of 10 Americans face the possibility of being directly involved in alcohol/drug-related traffic accident during their lifetime.


• Each year, alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion. (2002)

What can be done? Here are just some suggestions on how to avoid becoming part of the grim statistics:

• Plan ahead. Figure out a way to get home/be taken home in case there will be drinks in a party.


• Better yet, leave your car and don't get behind the wheel at all --- have a designated driver, find information about designated driver services, grab a cab or ask to stay over if the party is at a friend's house.


• Don't let friends drive drunk. Find ways to get keys from a friend if that friend has any alcohol intake. They may get annoyed, but it's all for their own good.

Most driving safety organization support the drunk or drugged driving prevention program or campaign informing drivers via education. This year's focus for National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month is on getting the message across for the younger drivers, in order to keep them safe.

Public awareness coupled with highly-visible law enforcement campaigns will help drivers celebrate the holiday month, and not have to worry about being a statistic.

Labels: alcohol, designated driver, designated driving service, driver safety, driving under the influence, drugged driving, drunk driving, dui, National Drunk and Drugged Driving, prevent drunk driving