A taxi driver in London, England, was driving his cab through the streets of the city...when all of a sudden he crashed...into a building. His name...George Smith..and was the first ever to be charged by local authorities... for what?... Drunk Driving. Smith was both charged and arrested. George Smith plead guilty and was fined 25 shillings (less than a $1.00 at that time).
In the U.S., the first laws against drunk driving came into effect in the year 1910. "Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol" was declared the "breaking of the law"...in the state of New York that year.
Later, in 1936, a Dr. Rolla Harger, a professor both in chemistry and toxicology ( science of effects of poisons), applied for a patent of a device she referred to as: "The Drunkometer". It was a balloon type object that had the ability to determine whether a person was inebriated.
Then, in 1953 a Robert Barkenstein worked with Dr. Harger, and invented what we commonly know today as the "Breathalyzer", Barkenstein himself being a former Indiana state police captain and a university professor. The "Breathalyzer" was an easier device to use for checking a person's alcoholic consumption, and proved more accurate as well.
This device also enabled local law enforcement to more quickly establish whether a person had too much drink while driving. Basically, a person blows into the "Breathalyzer" and the device gauges the proportion of alcoholic vapors in the exhaled breath, which in turn reflects the level of alcohol in a person's bloodstream.
Despite the serious ramifications of "driving under the influence", public awareness to its consequences wasn't really established until the late 1970's and on into the 1980's.
It was a lady from California who helped bring this to the public eye through the founding of an organization called: M.A.D.D. Her name...Candy Lightner...and M.A.D.D. stood for "Mothers Against Drunk Driving".
Candy had a horrible tragedy in her own family when her daughter Cari, who was 13 years old, was walking home from a school carnival. As Cari was walking home, she was struck and killed by a drunk driver.
The driver, already having 3 previous drunk-driving convictions, was out on bail from a hit-and-run arrest...only 2 days before.
Although Cari's death was senseless and tragic, it became instrumental to bringing change to the attitude of the general public...on drunk driving.
Through the organization of M.A.D.D., Candy brought some justice by her daughter's death, Cari, helping to push through legislation that increased the penalties of Driving Under the Influence...both of alcohol and other drugs. M.A.D.D. was also instrumental in raising the minimum age for public alcoholic consumption to 21 throughout the United States.
Today, receiving a DUI brings heavy fines, jail time, week-end classes, and severe hikes in insurance rates. Multiple DUI's can ban a person from driving...for life. Some past drunk drivers now have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles, and these devices require the driver to breath into a sensor on the dashboard. If the driver fails the test, the vehicle will not start.
Still, with all the hard effort and work that has been accomplished to protect the innocent...like a Cari Lightner simply walking home from school, drunk driving still remains a serious problem. In 2005, 16885 people died in alcohol related crashes...and 1.4 million people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
In 2009, there were 10839 deaths that were alcohol related, including 181 children under the age of 14.
A good time?....who doesn't want that. A Celebration...nothing wrong with that. But because that is what a person wants to do...doesn't give them the right to get "behind a wheel". There are so many alternatives....taxis. DD (designated drivers), or just celebrate at home. Do what you have to do....but Don't even think about driving...when you drink!!!
In the U.S., the first laws against drunk driving came into effect in the year 1910. "Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol" was declared the "breaking of the law"...in the state of New York that year.
Then, in 1953 a Robert Barkenstein worked with Dr. Harger, and invented what we commonly know today as the "Breathalyzer", Barkenstein himself being a former Indiana state police captain and a university professor. The "Breathalyzer" was an easier device to use for checking a person's alcoholic consumption, and proved more accurate as well.
This device also enabled local law enforcement to more quickly establish whether a person had too much drink while driving. Basically, a person blows into the "Breathalyzer" and the device gauges the proportion of alcoholic vapors in the exhaled breath, which in turn reflects the level of alcohol in a person's bloodstream.
It was a lady from California who helped bring this to the public eye through the founding of an organization called: M.A.D.D. Her name...Candy Lightner...and M.A.D.D. stood for "Mothers Against Drunk Driving".
Candy had a horrible tragedy in her own family when her daughter Cari, who was 13 years old, was walking home from a school carnival. As Cari was walking home, she was struck and killed by a drunk driver.
The driver, already having 3 previous drunk-driving convictions, was out on bail from a hit-and-run arrest...only 2 days before.
Although Cari's death was senseless and tragic, it became instrumental to bringing change to the attitude of the general public...on drunk driving.
Through the organization of M.A.D.D., Candy brought some justice by her daughter's death, Cari, helping to push through legislation that increased the penalties of Driving Under the Influence...both of alcohol and other drugs. M.A.D.D. was also instrumental in raising the minimum age for public alcoholic consumption to 21 throughout the United States.
Today, receiving a DUI brings heavy fines, jail time, week-end classes, and severe hikes in insurance rates. Multiple DUI's can ban a person from driving...for life. Some past drunk drivers now have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles, and these devices require the driver to breath into a sensor on the dashboard. If the driver fails the test, the vehicle will not start.
In 2009, there were 10839 deaths that were alcohol related, including 181 children under the age of 14.
A good time?....who doesn't want that. A Celebration...nothing wrong with that. But because that is what a person wants to do...doesn't give them the right to get "behind a wheel". There are so many alternatives....taxis. DD (designated drivers), or just celebrate at home. Do what you have to do....but Don't even think about driving...when you drink!!!
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