There are several factors that make it more likely for a teenage driver to get in an accident while driving:  peer pressure, inexperience and poor driving habits.  Education and experience are the two main things to counteract these factors and parents should be focused on providing as much of both things as possible.  This doesn’t mean just about driving, but also about alcohol use in general.

Peer pressure is something that every teenager deals with and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Sometimes it can actually help a teen stay on the straight and narrow, depending on the group that they hang out with.  However, most of the time, peer pressure is exerted by teens who commit risky behaviors, rather than positive ones.  As a parent, it’s your job to make sure that they have the skills and confidence that they need to counter negative peer pressure.

Talking openly and frankly about things like peer pressure and drinking can go a long way towards protecting your child from peer pressure.  Much of the mystique of drinking comes from not knowing and from seeing adults drink.  By discussing the ins and outs of alcohol with them, it takes away the secret part and so doesn’t make them want it just to act “grown up”.

Inexperience isn’t a new driver’s fault – it’s just part of being a new driver.  However, most states have a permit program specifically so your teen can get as much experience as possible with a more experienced driver before being out on the road alone.  A driver’s education course, while not required in most places, is an excellent investment, especially if the course has a defensive driving portion.  This will give your teen experience in a greater variety of driving situations, and how to handle the car in emergencies.

Driver’s education also helps to teach your teen safe driving habits, that will become a part of their routine if they are reinforced.  As a parent, you should take a close look at your own habits to be sure your teen is seeing good driving habits from you, as well.  Teens take far more from your example than they do from your words.  This also included your outlook and habits when it comes to drinking and driving.  If you never drink and drive, that is an example that will stick with them.

You should make sure that your child is educated on the effects of alcohol on both their reflexes and judgment, two things that are vital to safe driving.  Even one drink can impair a driver.  Teens also need to know the full penalties and dangers of drinking and driving.  Many do not realize what could happen until it’s too late.

The first thing to do is to see your primary doctor and have a thorough evaluation.  Long-term alcohol abuse can take a heavy toll on the body and everyone is different when it comes to how much is too much.  Your doctor should make sure that your liver and other organs are functioning properly prior to determining what course to take when dealing with your alcohol problem.

The doctor may decide that you’d be a good candidate for medications such as Naltrexone.  This medication helps to reduce the cravings for alcohol and is prescribed for 12 weeks.  You must be sober for at least a week prior to going on this medication, however, so you may need alcohol rehab first.  You and your doctor will decide that based on your history with alcohol and how your physical examination goes.

For those who have mild to moderate alcohol dependency, an out-patient alcohol treatment plan may be suggested.  This generally involves some sort of therapy, either with a group system like AA or a private therapist.  Sometimes both are advised.  An out-patient alcohol treatment plan may or may not be in conjunction with medications, depending on what you and your doctor decide.  In order to be effective, though, you must decide that you do not want to be dependent on alcohol anymore and you must stop drinking completely.  There is no such thing as a sort of alcoholic – you must be committed in order to succeed.

If you’ve been abusing alcohol for a very long time or were drinking extreme amounts of alcohol, you may need at least as short in-patient treatment program or rehab.  This is because it can be dangerous to stop drinking once your body is so used to alcohol.  You can suffer through withdrawal symptoms that can even cause hallucinations and seizures.  With in-patient treatment, medical professionals are there around the clock to ensure that you are safe.

Having a good support network is going to be an important part of your recovery from alcohol abuse.  Family members should be included in the treatment plan as much as possible so that they not only know how to help you, but that they can understand what you are going through.  Often this will mean openly discussing the issues, including the DUI and what lead up to it.  You will also need to take responsibility for what could have happened while you were driving while intoxicated.  It is very important that you realize just how dangerous this kind of behavior is, both to you and to others.

After being pulled over, you will probably be given some field sobriety tests, and a breathalyzer test to determine your level of intoxication. You can refuse to take the tests or the breathalyzer, but in most states that will lead to an immediate suspension of your driver’s license. If the officer determines that you are in fact intoxicated above the legal limit you will be arrested and read your rights. You will then be taken in to jail for booking and processing.

Once you get to the jail you will have your picture taken and be fingerprinted, and any personal property you have with you will be confiscated. You may also be given other sobriety tests, and another breathalyzer. After you have been processed into the system you will have to arrange for bail in order to be released. If you cannot afford to pay the bail amount yourself you will need to contact a bail bondsman to help you. By paying the bail amount you are agreeing to be released from jail, but promising to return to court for all future appearances.

After being released on bail, you will receive a court date for arraignment. Arraignment takes place before a judge in a court room. During the arraignment the charges against the defendant will be read, and the judge will ask you how you plead to the charges. The judge will then ask you if you have an attorney, or if you need one to be appointed by the court. If you plead guilty to the charges you will be given a date for sentencing, and if you plead not guilty you will be given a date for a preliminary hearing.

If you choose to go to trial you will need a lawyer to help you file all the proper motions and navigate the legal system for you. A good lawyer may be able to plead the charges down or even get them dismissed. On the other hand, do you really want to go through a trial missing time from work and having a jury decide your fate?

If you already told the judge you were guilty at the arraignment your next step will be sentencing. The judge will be the one who reviews your case and decides on an appropriate sentence. Your sentence could be jail time (not likely for a first offense), probation, community service, DUI School, AA meetings, or a forfeiture of your license. Generally, you will be sentenced to a combination of these things. Your license will probably be suspended for a while, and you may also have to pay a fine and complete community service. The sentence is totally up to the judge so remember that when you are in court!

Driving under the influence laws vary from state to state and this is just a general outline of the procedures following a DUI arrest. If you don’t drink and drive you will never have to worry about what happens after you are arrested!

There are some physical signs that you can look for if you think someone may be abusing alcohol. Some of these signs include red or bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, blackouts, lack of concentration, and increased incidents of headache, nausea, and intolerance of noise especially in the mornings. Other physical signs of alcohol abuse may include weight changes, abuse of other drugs, and an increase in physical injuries.

There are also social and emotional signs that your teen may be struggling with an alcohol problem. Some of these include mood swings, depression, withdrawal from family and friends, and a loss of interest in favorite activities. Other signs that you may notice are difficulties in school, problems with the law, lying, a change in peer group, or secretive behavior.

Teens who struggle with alcohol abuse are usually unaware of the toll that drinking can have on their bodies. Teenagers and young adults can develop alcohol related diseases just like older adults do. Heavy drinking and regular drinking places a strain on your body, and teenagers are at risk of damaging organs that aren’t even done developing yet. Teen drinking has been linked to elevated liver enzymes, and damage to the reproductive system.

Some may ask why do teens feel the need to drink? There are many reasons that some teens begin drinking alcohol. Some may drink alcohol to fit in with their peer group or because they think it makes them look cool. Other teens may drink because it numbs them to other problems they may be having in their lives. Some teens drink in an attempt to relax and relieve stress, and others like the way alcohol allows them to lower their inhibitions.

If a teen that you know is struggling with alcohol abuse there are ways that you can help them. Having someone to talk to can go a long way towards solving any problem. When discussing why your teen drinks do not be judgmental, but try to find out why they feel the need to drink. Finding a peer counselor who is close in age to your teen may also be very helpful, particularly if it is someone who has struggled with these types of problems themselves. Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon may also be very helpful in providing information and helpful resources for your family and your teen. Other resources that you may find helpful could be a Pastor at a local church, or the counseling services offered at a local high school.

One of the best things you can do for your teen is to discuss alcohol, it’s effects, and the potential risks with your teen before they start drinking. Having a relationship with your teen where they feel that they can come to you and discuss problems or discuss what is going on in their lives may prevent them from taking that first drink. If your child already has a drinking problem, or you suspect that they do talk with them and work with them to get the help that they need.

Alcohol can severely impair your motor function and reaction time, both of which are extremely important when it comes to safely operating a vehicle. Countless lives have been ruined or even ended by someone who got behind the wheel when they shouldn’t have. Drinking alcohol can cause visual impairments such as blurred or double vision, and the ability to comprehend what is happening around you is also impaired by drinking.

Drinking and driving is taken very seriously by law enforcement personnel. If you are caught behind the wheel after drinking there are very serious consequences. You will be arrested and taken to jail, if you don’t have the money to post bail you will be held in jail until you are arraigned by a judge. Going to court for an alcohol related offense is very serious. You could lose your license, be sentenced to jail or probation, or sent to a rehabilitative program. You may also be ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as part of your sentence or probation to demonstrate what irresponsible drinking can lead to.

Alcohol has a high potential for abuse in some people. The need to consume alcohol can cause irreparable damage to family relationships and friendships. What may start as harmless drinking with friends on occasion can quickly lead to drinking daily in some cases. Some people are unable to drink in moderation even if they just wanted to “have a drink or two”. Since alcohol is so easily obtainable and socially acceptable its potential for abuse is high.

Recovery from alcoholism is a lifelong struggle. There are many wonderful rehabilitation programs available, but completion of a program does not guarantee success. Remaining alcohol free will be something that has to be worked on daily, and not just for a while, but for the rest of your life. If you think that you have a problem with alcohol you may want to seek counseling or attend a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are lots of programs out there, but you have to be willing to take the first step and ask for help.

If you know you are going somewhere that drinks will be served plan ahead. Arrange for a designated driver, or take enough money with you for a cab. Drink in moderation and be aware of how often you are drinking. If you start drinking more than a few times a week it could be a warning sign that there is a potential problem in the making. Drinking regularly is hard on the body, and can have lifelong effects like cirrhosis of the liver. The effects alcohol has on your body are nothing compared to what killing or injuring someone will do to your mind if you drink and drive and the worst happens.

The term alcoholism was first recognized in 1849 and used for many years to identify someone who drinks to much. In the 1980′s the term was replaced with alcohol abuse and dependence. It has been said that to much drinking causes a person to turn into a drunkard. The person will then use drinking as a stepping stone and sooner or later it leads to drug use.

Long-term drinking affects the way the brain thinks when long-term use continues. The brain lets off signals to a persons body that makes it hard for a drinker to stop. When a change happens in the brains chemistry it is almost impossible for the the heavy drinker to stop drinking. If and when the person tries to stop drinking it results in withdrawals, where the body of the drinker jumps and jerks and the person starts getting sick from no alcohol use. If the person was to take a drink, the withdrawal attacks and sickness would stop. According to AA specialist Dr. William Silkworth, these people suffer from a (physical) craving beyond mental control.

When a person continues to drink to much, every organ in that person will be destroyed because of the toxic affects it releases into the body. A persons low tolerance, the withdrawals, the heavy drinking, and the inability a person has to control these things make them an alcoholic. A persons condition will continue to get worse the more they drink over the years. Excessive drinking usually causes a big change in that persons life.

A theorists by the name of Johnson (1980) introduced four phases of an emotional response in a person who drinks to much. The first two phases is based on normal drinking and the last two phases are based on over drinking. The phases are done in stages and are as follows: Stage 1: Learning the mood swing, Stage 2: Seeking the mood swing, Stage 3: Consequences begin with hangovers, family and work problems, health issues, etc. And the person starts ignoring these problems. Stage 4: Risk for premature death, a person will drink just to feel normal.

Physical responses were also studied by other theorist in 1983, who studied the physical deterioration of a person who drinks to much. The physical responses were done in 3 stages and are as following. Stage 1: Adaptive stage, the person has no negative feelings but physiological changes of increased tolerance begins. Stage 2: Dependent Stage, symptoms of dependency gradually build up. Stage 3: The final stage, organs start shutting down because of long-term drinking.

Complications of the heart are the most common cause of death in someone who drinks too much. Suicide in teenagers is another cause of death that comes from a lot of heavy drinking and is considered a high risk in a heavy drinkers. The percent of drinkers that commit suicide due to a lot of drinking is approximately 18 percent with over 50 percent being associated with alcohol or drug dependence. In teenagers the percent of suicides related to heavy drinking is 25 percent with 70 percent of teenage deaths due to the misuse of liquor and drugs. Today (2011) it is the number one cause of deaths in teenagers because of drinking and driving. The billions of dollars America had to pay for treatment in 2005 cost more than that of cancer and obesity in a year. Today (2011) cancer and obesity cost more than treatment for drinking.

Drinking has been around since the beginning of time and was recognized thousands of years ago as the cause of social problems. Today social problems are not considered to be the only problems an abuser faces. Alcohol has the power of destroying everything in front of it and is worse for deaths than any other addiction. It can and will destroy a person physically, emotionally, mentally and socially. It is still the main factor for so many deaths in teenagers, not to mention at one time it cost America billions of dollars in treatment per year.

He also had the drugs methadone and diazepam in his system when he struck another vehicle at the intersection of Plenty Rd and Blossom Park Drive in Melbourne’s north at about 8.45pm, Judge Richard Maidment said.

Child’s boss at the demolition company, Jeffrey Reading, died on impact while two other passengers were injured, the court heard.

The father-of-one was travelling between 84km/h and 92km/h in an 80km/h zone at the time of the crash.

He later recorded a blood-alcohol level of 0.122.

In sentencing, Judge Maidment took into account Child’s guilty plea, remorse, and injuries suffered in the crash.

He said Child’s incarceration meant he would would miss out on raising his son, whom he had when he was 17.

He said Child, who has prior convictions for unlicensed and drink driving, had improved prospects of rehabilitation.

Child pleaded guilty to one charge of culpable driving and two counts of negligently causing serious injury.

Judge Maidment jailed Child for seven years with a non-parole period of four years and disqualified him from obtaining a new licence for six years.

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Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/drunk-driver-jailed-after-killing-boss-in-smash-at-intersection/story-e6frf7jx-1226221729776

A three pronged approach is often utilized to prevent drink driving. Firstly is the early identification of drink drivers before they begin to take the risk more often. The second is achieved by applying a strict ban for anyone under the influence of alcohol, so that this will deter people from driving when over the legal limit. The third is to provide treatment.

Many regular drink drivers have problems with alcohol dependency. They may well need the use of their car as part of their job and have to drive regularly. This combined with alcohol dependency will often result in them driving while under the influence of alcohol on a regular basis. It is important to reach out to those who may develop these problems, This can be done pro-actively with the use of Television campaigns, billboards and other media. So they know that they can seek advice and help with their problem.

Another excellent prevention technique is by having a driver service that can be called if somebody goes over the legal limit of alcohol. They will meet the individual and take the car keys and drive them safely back home. However this is not available in all towns.

A designated driver should also be encouraged. For example if a group of friends go out together one of those people can act as a designated driver and be free of alcohol for the night. However it is difficult to decide who will abstain from alcohol as who ever it is may not have as much fun as the others.

Another measure that can be used is to encourage the public to report drink driving behavior to a designated hotline. For example if somebody spots a driver weaving along the road or driving erratically they can contact the hot line and report the cars license number. Other things to look out for are those people who drive with the car windows down in cold weather, dangerous passing, tailgating, driving unnecessarily slowly or without headlights in the dark.

The pro-active approach works best and educating the public regarding the dangers through various media will raise awareness and reduce accidents. It is also wise to employ a caring approach to those who may have alcohol dependency issues and make it easy for them to seek help and appropriate intervention.

Thousands of lives can be saved each year by preventing drink driving through the use of designated drivers, identifying offenders, alcohol intervention and using deterrents. It is everybody’s responsibility to stop somebody who is under the influence of alcohol from using their car.