Saturday, 25 January 2014

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

In most countries, including in the US, driving under the influence (DUI) is illegal.  There are additional penalties for individuals who get involved in a car accident while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There are several studies showing that in the United States, about 39% of automobile accidents are caused by alcohol and alcohol or drugs are involved in up to 50% of motor vehicle fatalities.    While the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs have increased over the past years, there effects are limited.  About on-third of people arrested for DUI's are repeat offenders.  There are laws for the minimum legal drinking age and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) laws aiming to prevent vehicle accidents related to alcohol that can cause severe injury or death.

People convicted for drunk driving may have caused severe injuries and even death to other parties and may serve many years in prison. On the other hand, people accused and proven to have driven under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but have not harmed anyone, may be mandated to attend alcohol treatment. Mandating them to substance abuse treatment is designed to to educate and rehabilitate offenders to promote public safety.

The campaign against driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has brought a lot of publicity to alcohol-related traffic accidents. Certain laws have been passed to limit the amount of alcohol that can be ingested by a person before operating a vehicle.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be very hazardous to both the motorist and the pedestrians. Every individual should be aware that drunk driving can be fatal. Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs can lead to road traffic accidents resulting from a failed attempt to turn the car correctly, to avoid another car, or to stop the vehicle. Also, drunk drivers are prone to overlook warnings signs and traffic laws.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has been the problem for years. No matter how many laws against drunk driving are passed, individuals still violate them. If you or someone you love has been mandated to treatment for drunk driving or DUI, it is important to find an outpatient treatment program that works.  Because our treatment center relies on evidence based practices, our Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program shares many common methods with other successful rehab programs.  The foundations of our treatment program for substance abuse also rely on the principles of harm reduction, motivational interviewing, stages of change and cognitive behavioral therapy to promote recovery from alcohol abuse and drug treatment.  In fact, our Intensive Outpatient Program in Memphis, TN that has been proven to be effective in the treatment of alcohol abuse and drug treatment in peer reviewed treatment outcome studies.   Our treatment center  provides services to those who need more treatment than one hour a week, but less than 24 hour care, by providing three hours of treatment per day, three to five days per week, in an intensive outpatient setting.  If you or a loved one is showing signs of alcohol abuse or needs drug treatment rehab, they should be assessed by a trained mental health professional who can help design a treatment plan that can result in recovery.  Treatment for substance abuse can be highly successful.  Call us at 901-682-6136 to schedule an appointment.

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