DUI's On The Decrease

In the city of Norman the number of DUI’s has decreased a significant amount. In 1997 there were 665 DUI cases reported throughout the Norman community including the University of Oklahoma campus. Unbelievably, as of 2010 the number of DUI’s is the exact same number as 1997. Comparing Norman to its rival town was quite disappointing. Stillwater recorded only 174 DUI’s in 1997 and while it did increase in 2010 with 233 Stillwater’s statistics are significantly lower. While we have to take into account the population difference of Norman and Stillwater, there is no excuse.

             As officer Gary Schmidt said, “A DUI is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. It is not only effecting the person’s present, it is also effecting their future.”  According to MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving), Oklahoma is ranked number 27^th in the nation with 235 drinking and driving fatalities and a state subsidy of $1.1 billion. “In 2009, Oklahoma passed a repeat offender interlock law and became the third state to make DUI with a child passenger in a vehicle a felony. MADD is working to require ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers” (MADD).

            Trevor Jennings, Junior at the University of Oklahoma and a one-time offender of drinking and driving said if he could do it over again he would not have driven. He considered himself a “professional drunk driver” and never thought that he would get pulled over or face the consequences that he faced. “If you are convicted of your first DUI offense, you can expect to face consequences in your criminal court such as: fines up to $1,000, jail time between 10 days and 1 year, possible patient treatment program, up to 480 hours of community service, and a possible ignition interlock device” (duiconsequences).

            “In 2009 alone about four people were killed in an alcohol-impaired driving fatalities for every 100,000 Americans. Since 1999, the rate of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the U.S. decreased 23%” (Drunk Driving Research). As Jennings mentions in the video story, don’t drink and drive it’s not worth risking your life or someone else’s.