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National study shows fewer people are drinking and driving

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Drunk driving arrests in New Jersey could be down from previous years. Why? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, drunk driving may be declining across the nation. The CDC recently released the results of a survey from last year, asking more than 200,000 Americans whether they drink and drive.

Drinking and driving, in general, can lead to a number of different consequences. While a driver may not realize he or she is intoxicated when behind the wheel, a traffic stop may result in a DUI charge and arrest. From there, a suspected drunk driver could face penalties that include a jail sentence, fines, and a license suspension if convicted of the DUI charge.

Statistics from this recent CDC study suggest that while the number of drunk driving incidents annually remains high, it has actually decreased from five years ago. Some of the self-reported statistics include:

  • 1 in 50 adults have driven drunk in the past month
  • Approximately 4 million adults drove drunk last year
  • Approximately 300,000 drunk driving incidents happen each day

What does this mean? It could mean that people just aren't driving as much after drinking. While the statistics are self-reported, it appears that fewer people are going out to drink. Some speculate that the recession could have something to do with this decline. People are opting to drink at home to save money instead of going out to bars and restaurants.

But even though numbers are decreasing, local and state law enforcement will still likely be targeting drivers who are suspected of drinking and driving.

Source: The Washington Times: "CDC: Self-reported drunken driving is down," Mike Stobbe, Oct. 5, 2011

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