Drinking and Driving Essay Example

Drinking and Driving Essay Drinking Driving Driving while either intoxicated or drunk is dangerous and drivers with high blood alcohol content or concentration (BAC) are at greatly increased risk of car accidents, highway injuries and vehicular deaths. Possible prevention measures examined here include establishing DWI courts, suspending or revoking driver licenses, impounding or confiscating vehicle plates, impounding   or immobilizing vehicles, enforcing open container bans, increasing penalties such as fines or jail for drunk driving, and mandating alcohol education. Safety seat belts, air bags, designated drivers, and effective practical ways to stay sober are also discussed. Additional Information †¢ Driving While Intoxicated (DWI/DUI) Information †¢ Preventing Drunk Driving †¢ Young Drivers Alcohol †¢ Doctors for Designated Driving THE PROBLEM Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is totally preventable. Although the proportion of crashes that are alcohol-related has dropped dramatically in recent decades, there are still far too many such preventable accidents. Unfortunately, in spite of great progress, alcohol-impaired driving remains a serious national problem that tragically effects many victims annually. Its easy to forget that dry statistics represent real people and real lives. Therefore, this page is dedicated to the memory of one randomly-selected victim of a drunk driver, young Donette Rae Jackson. THE FACTS Most drivers who have had something to drink have low blood alcohol content or concentration (BAC) and few are involved in fatal crashes. On the other hand, while only a few drivers have BACs higher than . 15, a much higher roportion of those drivers have fatal crashes. †¢ The average BAC among fatally injured drinking drivers is . 16 1 †¢ The relative risk of death for drivers in single-vehicle crashes with a high BAC is 385 times that of a zero-BAC driver and for male drivers the risk is 707 times that of a sober driver, according to estimates by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). 2 †¢ High BAC drivers tend to be male, aged 25-35, and have a history of DWI convictions and polydrug abuse. 3 THE SOLUTION Drunk driving, like most other social problems, resists simple solutions. We will write a custom essay sample on Drinking and Driving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Drinking and Driving specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Drinking and Driving specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, there are a number of actions, each of which can contribute toward a reduction of the problem: †¢ DWI courts, sometimes called DUI courts, sobriety courts, wellness courts or accountability courts have proven effective in reducing the crime of drunken driving (driving while    intoxicated or while impaired). Such courts address the problem of hard-core repeat    offenders by treating alcohol addiction or alcoholism. The recidivism or failure rate of DWI courts   is very low. 4 †¢ Automatic license revocation appears to be the single most effective measure to reduce drunk driving. †¢ Automatic license revocation along with a mandatory jail sentence appears to be even more effective than just automatic license revocation. 6 †¢ Impounding or confiscating license plates. 7 †¢ Mandating the installation of interlock devices that prevent intoxicated persons from starting a vehicle. 8 †¢ Vehicle impoundment or immobilization. 9 †¢ Expanding alcohol server training programs. 10 †¢ Implementing social norms programs that correct the misperception that most    people sometimes drive under the influence of alcohol. 1 †¢ Passing mandatory alcohol and drug testing in fatal crashes would promote successful prosecution of drunk and drugged drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that 18-20% of injured drivers are using drugs and although drinking is on the decline,    drugging is on the increase. However, this figure appears to be much too low. For example: o A study of drivers admitted to a Maryland trauma center found that 34$ tested positive for drugs only, while 16% tested positive for alcohol only. 2 o A study by the Addiction Research Foundation of vehicle crash victims    who tested positive for either legal or illegal substances found that just 15% had consumed only alcohol. 13 o In a large study of almost 3,400 fatally injured drivers from three Aust ralian states, drugs other than alcohol were present in 26. 7% of the cases. Fewer than 10% of the cases involved both alcohol and drugs. 14 o NIDA’s Monitoring the Future survey indicated that in 2004, 12. 7% of high school seniors in the U. S. reported driving under the influence of marijuana and 13.. % reported driving under the influence of alcohol in    the two weeks prior to the survey. 15 o In the State of Maryland’s Adolescent Survey, 26. 8% of the state’s licensed, 12th grade drivers reported driving under the influence of marijuana during the year before the survey. 16 MADD Canada is to be commended for recognizing this serious but generally unrecognized problem and including the reduction of drugged driving as a major goal. Of course, fighting drugged driving must not detract us from working to reduce drunken driving. Promising but inadequately evaluated measures include: Marking the license plate to indicate ownership in the family of someone whose drivers license is suspended or revoked for alcohol offenses. 17   †¢ Passing and enforcing bans on open containers would probably reduce drunk driving by deterring drinking while driving. Surprisingly, some states have vehicular no open container laws. 18 †¢ Imposing graded or multi-tiered penalties based on BAC at the time of arrest. This policy is virtually universal with regard to speeding. 19 †¢ Restricting nighttime driving by young people. This appears to be effective in those states with such restrictions. 0 †¢ Electronically monitoring repeat DWI offenders. 21 †¢ Involving drivers in identifying and reporting possibly drunken drivers to law enforcement authorities by dialing 911 on their cell phones. See Help Police Stop Drunken Drivers †¢ Requiring every state to provide adequate information on alcohol and driv ing to prospective drivers and adequately testing them on the subject in their drivers exams. In too many states, the subject is given only brief mention and do not include any information or testing in the process of obtaining a drivers license. Some actually provide factually incorrect information. All of these very promising measures should be rigorously evaluated scientifically to determine their potential contribution to improving safety. Measures of little or no value: †¢ Incarceration. Jail or prison sentences for alcohol offenses, in spite of their great popularity, appear to be of little value in deterring high BAC drivers. In short, It appears that we can’t jail our way out of the problem. 22 †¢ The perception of swift and certain punishment is more important than severity. 3 †¢ Large fines appear have little deterrent effect, according to research. 24   †¢ Increasing the cost of alcohol with increased   taxation would have virtually no impact on reducing drunk driving. 25   Both research and common sense suggest that heavy drinkers are not deterred by cost and most minors who drink don’t pay for or purchase their beverages. 26 Improved roads and vehicles can contribute signi ficantly to increased highway safety. Technological improvements include raised lane markers, which are easier to see and also emit a startling sound when a tire wanders over them. Similarly corrugations along the edges of roads emit a sound when driven over, thus alerting inattentive drivers to their inappropriate location. Wider roads, improved street and highway lighting, break-away sign posts, brake lights positioned at eye level, door crash bars, and many other improvements can save lives and be cost-effective. PROTECT YOURSELF While society has done much to improve highway safety, you can do much to protect yourself. Dont drink and drive and dont ride with anyone who has too much to drink. Remember, it is usually themselves and their passengers who are harmed by drunk drivers. 7 The risk of collision for high BAC drivers is dramatically higher than for a non-drinking driver. †¢ Volunteer to be a designated driver. †¢ Always use a safety seat belt. †¢ Use four-lane highways whenever possible. †¢ Avoid rural roads. Avoid travel after midnight (especially on Fridays and Saturdays). †¢ Drive defensively. †¢ Choose vehicles with airbags. †¢ Refer to safety ratings before selecting your next vehicle. See Buying a Safer Car (nhtsa. dot. gov/cars/testing/NCAP). Buying A Safer Car includes safety ratings of cars, vans, and sport utility vehicles by year, make, and model. Never use illegal drugs. Illicit drugs are involved in a large proportion of traffic fatalities. †¢ Never drive when fatigued. The dangers posed when fatigued are similar to those when intoxicated. A drunk or fatigued driver has slowed reactions and impaired judgment. And a driver who nods off at the wheel has no reactions and no judgment! Drivers who drift off cause about 72,500 injuries and deaths each and every year. 28 †¢ Dont use a car phone, put on make-up, comb your hair, or eat while driving. Drivers using cellular phones are four times more likely to have an accident than other drivers. 9 †¢ Steer clear of aggressive drivers. Aggressive drivers may be responsibl e for more deaths than drunk drivers. If you must drive after drinking, stay completely sober: 30 †¢ Dont be fooled. The contents of the typical bottle or can of beer, glass of wine, or liquor drink (mixed drink or straight liquor) each contain virtually identical amounts of pure alcohol. When it comes to alcohol, a drink is a drink is a drink and are all the same to a breathalyzer. 31 For more, visit Standard Drinks. †¢ Know your limit. If you are not sure, experiment at home with your spouse or some other responsible individual. Explain what you are attempting to learn. Most people find that they can consume one drink per hour without any ill effects. Also, experiment with the Blood Alcohol Educator, which is very informative and useful. †¢ Eat food while you drink. Food, especially high protein food such as meat, cheese and peanuts, will help slow the absorption of alcohol into your body. †¢ Sip your drink. If you gulp a drink, you lose the pleasure of savoring its flavors and aromas. †¢ Dont participate in chugging contests or other drinking games. †¢ Accept a drink only when you really want one. If someone tries to force a drink on you, ask for a non-alcohol beverage instead. If that doesnt work, lose your drink by setting it down somewhere and leaving it. †¢ Skip a drink now and then. Having a non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic ones will help keep your blood alcohol content level down, as does spacing out your alcoholic drinks †¢ A good general guideline for most people is to limit consumption of alcohol beverages to one drink (beer, wine or spirits) per hour. †¢ Keep active; dont just sit around and drink. If you stay active you tend to drink less and to be more aware of any effects alcohol may be having on you. Beware of unfamiliar drinks. Some drinks, such as zombies and other fruit drinks, can be deceiving as the alcohol content is not detectable. Therefore, it is difficult to space them properly. †¢ Use alcohol carefully in connection with pharmaceuticals. Ask your physician or pharmacist about any precautions or prohibitions and follow any advic e received. PROTECT OTHERS †¢ Volunteer to be a designated driver. †¢ Never condone or approve of excessive alcohol consumption. Intoxicated behavior is potentially dangerous and never amusing. †¢ Dont ever let your friends drive drunk. Take their keys, have them stay the night, have them ride home with someone else, call a cab, or do whatever else is necessary but dont let them drive! Be a good host: †¢ Create a setting conducive to easy, comfortable socializing: soft, gentle music; low levels of noise; comfortable seating. This encourages conversation and social interaction rather than heavy drinking. †¢ Serve food before beginning to serve drinks. This de-emphasizes the importance of alcohol and also sends the message that intoxication is not desirable. †¢ Have a responsible bartender. If you plan to ask a friend or relative to act as bartender, make sure that person is not a drink pusher who encourages excessive consumption. †¢ Dont have an open bar. A responsible person needs to supervise consumption to ensure that no one drinks too much. You have both a moral and a legal responsibility to make sure that none of your guests drink too much. †¢ Pace the drinks. Serve drinks at regular reasonable intervals. A drink-an-hour schedule is a good guide. †¢ Push snacks. Make sure that people are eating. †¢ Be sure to offer a diversity of attractive non-alcohol drinks. For numerous non-alcohol drink recipes, see www. drinksmixer. com/cat/8/). †¢ Respect anyones choice not to drink. Remember that about one-third of American adults choose not to drink and that a guests reason for not drinking is the business of the guest only, not of the host. Never put anyone on the defense for not drinking. †¢ End your gathering properly. Decide when you want the party to end and stop serving drinks well before that time. Then begin serving coffee along with substantial snacks. This provides essential non-drinking time before your guests leave. Protect others and yourself by never driving if you think, or anyone else thinks, that you might have had too much to drink. Its always best to use a designated driver. THE GOOD NEWS We can do it! While we must do even more to reduce drunk driving, we have already accomplished a great deal. †¢ The U. S. has a low traffic fatality rate (drunk, as well as sober) and is a very safe nation in which to drive. And its been getting safer for decades. 32 There are now fewer than one and a half deaths (including the deaths of bicyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, auto drivers, and auto passengers) per one hundred million vehicle miles traveled. 3 Alcohol-related traffic fatalities have dropped from 60% of all traffic deaths in 1982 down to 39% in 2005 (the most recent year for which such statistics are available). 34 †¢ Alcohol-related traffic fatalities per vehicle miles driven has also dropped dramatically from 1. 64 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 1982 down to 0. 56 in 2005 (the latest year for which such statistics are available). 35 †¢ The proportion of alcohol-related crash fatalities has fallen 35% since 1982, but the propor tion of traffic deaths NOT associated with alcohol have jumped 53% during the same time. We’re winning the battle against alcohol-related traffic fatalities, but losing the fight against traffic deaths that are not alcohol-related. 36 We can and must do even better Remember, dont ever, ever drive if you, or anyone else, thinks that you may have had too much to drink. And dont let anyone else. That includes reporting drivers who may be drunk. Its always safest not to drink and drive. For more on designated driving, visit Doctors for Designated Driving. NOTE: The Drink Safely (thumb up) designs is a registered trademark of Coors Brewing Company and used with its permission.

The Story of George Crum, Inventor of the Potato Chip

The Story of George Crum, Inventor of the Potato Chip George Crum (born George Speck; July 15, 1824 – July 22, 1914) was a renowned African-American chef who worked at Moon’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs, New York during the mid-1800s. According to culinary legend, Crum invented the potato chip during his work at the restaurant. Fast Facts: George Crum Known For: Widely credited with inventing potato chips when he sliced an order of French fries extra-thin to spite a demanding customer. The story has since been debunked as a myth, but Crum achieved success when he opened  Crums, a popular restaurant in Malta, New York.  Also Known As: George SpeckBorn: July 15, 1824, in Saratoga Springs,  New York, USADied: July 22, 1914, in Malta, New York, USA The Potato Chip Legend   George Speck was born to parents Abraham Speck and Diana Tull  on July 15, 1824. He grew up in upstate New York and was hired at Moons Lake House in the 1850s. Moon’s Lake House was a high-end restaurant that catered to wealthy Manhattan families when Speck was hired. A  regular patron of the restaurant,  Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, frequently forgot Specks given surname. Vanderbilt  often asked waiters to relay various requests to â€Å"Crum,† thus giving Speck the name he is now known by.   According to popular legend, the potato chip was invented when a picky customer (Vanderbilt himself, according to some reports) repeatedly sent back an order of  French fries, complaining that they were too thick. Frustrated with the customer’s demands, Crum sought revenge by slicing a batch of potatoes paper-thin, frying them to a crisp, and seasoning them with lots of salt. Surprisingly, the customer loved them.  Soon enough, Crum and Moons Lake House became well-known  for their special â€Å"Saratoga chips.†Ã‚   Disputing the Legend   A number of notable accounts  have disputed the story of Crums culinary innovation. Recipes for frying thin potato slices had already been published in cookbooks  by the early 1800s. Several reports on Crum himself, including a  commissioned biography of the chef published in 1893 and his own obituary, were curiously missing any mention of potato chips whatsoever.   Crums sister, Kate Wicks, claimed to be the real inventor of the potato chip. Wick’s obituary, published in The Saratogian in 1924, read, A sister of George Crum, Mrs. Catherine Wicks, died at the age of 102, and was the cook at Moon’s Lake House. She first invented and fried the famous Saratoga Chips. This statement  is supported by Wicks’ own recollections of the tale, which was published in several periodicals during her lifetime. Wicks explained that she had sliced off a sliver of potato that inadvertently fell into a hot frying pan. She let Crum taste it and his enthusiastic approval led to the decision to serve the chips. Crums Legacy Visitors came far and wide to Moons Lake House for a taste of the famous Saratoga chips, sometimes even taking a 10-mile trip around the lake just to get to the restaurant. Cary Moon, the owner of Moon’s Lake House, later tried to claim credit for the invention and began producing and distributing potato chips in boxes. Once Crum opened his own restaurant in the 1860s, called Crum’s, he provided every table with a basket of chips.   Crum’s chips remained a local delicacy until the 1920s when a salesman and entrepreneur named Herman Lay began traveling throughout the south and introducing potato chips to different communities throughout the country. At that point, Crums legacy was overtaken  by the mass production and distribution of potato chips on a national scale. Sources George Crum Dies at Saratoga Lake,  The (Saratoga Springs) Saratogian.  July 27, 1914.  Another Claims Potato Chip Idea,†Ã‚  Glens Falls Post Star.  August 4, 1932Barrett Britten, Elizabeth  [Jean McGregor]. Chronicles of Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, NY. Bradshaw 1947.Bradley, Hugh. Such Was Saratoga.  New York, 1940. 1940, 121-122.Dearborn, R.F.  Saratoga and How to See It. Albany, New York. 1871.  Gruse, Doug. Chipping Away at History.  Post-Star, Glens Falls, New York. November 25, 2009Kitchiner, William.  The Cook’s Oracle; Containing Receipts for Plain Cookery, on the Most Economical Plan for Private Families. 4th ed. A. Constable and Co. of Edinburgh and London.Lee, N.K.M.  The Cooks Own Book: Being A Complete Culinary Encyclopedia.  Boston, Munroe, and Francis. New York, Charles E. Francis, and David Felt. 1832.

Realism and Idealism in International Relations Essay

Realism and Idealism in International Relations - Essay Example It was from this source where the cynicism of the idea that th ends justifies the means first saw their origins. The ideas of Modern Realism took root in the ideas of Hans Mogenthau who laid out the principles of Modern Realism. Before proceeding further it is important to underline some of the ideas of Realism in a more fully expanded form. Realism operates under the underlying assumption that the in there is no over riding sense of order and justice governing international states. In other words there is a sense of international anarchy which can only be kept in check by individual states acting in their own self interests to keep control and authority over their own national borders. Sovereign states in these conditions therefore act to strengthen their own relative position in regard to their competitors. In this scenario the problems of conflict arise when states acting in their own interest become powerful and threaten the security of their neighbors. In this shifting balance of power there is a pattern of alliances that occur. Hans Mogenthau in his seminal work Politics among Nations laid out a group of certain principles that he believed outlined the ideas of Realism. He argued that power was the main currency between nations. Political actions of states were therefore governed by this need to acquire power. This was a rational impulse which could be understood in terms of recognizable patterns. The important distinction he made from earlier ideas was that morality was irrelevant. It was not that states were immoral but rather that they were amoral, because in being guided by the pursuit of power relations, morality played little role. Mogenthau's ideas are now often seen in conjunction with the thoughts of another influential thinker in... It was not that states were immoral but rather that they were amoral, because in being guided by the pursuit of power relations, morality played little role. Mogenthau's ideas are now often seen in conjunction with the thoughts of another influential thinker in the field at the time, Rhinehold Niebuhr. Both theorists' ideas grew out of the darker realities witnessed in the aftermath of World War II and the Cold War that followed. Observing the dangers of the escalating scale of nuclear armament throughout the Cold War both thinkers espoused what has come to be seen as Classical Realism where they warned against the dangers of a dual balance of power as was seen between the Soviet Union and the United States. Not all shared the distrust of the the bipolar theory of balance of power. Kenneth Waltz argued for the very bipolar balance of power that the previous two thinkers resisted. Kenneth Waltz focused on the anarchy among satellite states and called for that bipolar framework of power which allowed states to balance their interests in terms of well defined allegiances. Because this theory tended to remove the behavioral aspects out of the framework of the argument it tended to be known as the Neoclassical Realist Approach as it looked at structural determinants rather than strictly focusing on the drive to acquire power as a behavioral expectation of individuals, and by extension states.