Introduction
Drunk driving is the operation of automobiles while one is under the influence of mind intoxicating drugs and or alcohol. It remains a serious public health issue that should become the concern of the society that we live in today. Driving while under the influence of these drugs or alcohol has brought serious tales that people fear to tell or to be told. The number of road accidents that could have otherwise have been avoided have been on the rise as a consequence of drunk driving. There are families that have lost their loved ones to accidents that have resulted from drunk driving. There are people amongst us who have been disabled from the accidents that have been as a consequence of drunk driving. All these challenges have put these types of accidents under scrutiny, and it was high time that the public sector acted to save our families and the society at large from these accidents (Lerner, 2011).
As the issue of public concern, drunk driving should not be left to the individuals who have been traumatized by the calamity. As it is, drunk driving is an issue that affects all classes of the society. One cannot say that it is purely a problem that was associated with the youth or a particular core of the community. All categories of people are either directly or indirectly affected by cases of drunk driving. The public and the society as a whole, therefore, should find amicable ways of addressing this issue and save humanity from losing their loved ones through this uncaring means. This article would, therefore, look at ways of addressing the matter in as far as the public health aspect was concerned. We shall also consider the role that the public health has played in handling the issue and the roles of the social and/or political forces. We shall also discuss the perspectives that either a social movement or the population in general has with respect to drunk driving. Literature review
Studies have looked at this and found that the prevalence of alcohol- related collisions is shockingly one of the leading sources of death and injuries in Canada according to MADD Canada. According to http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11739-eng.htmaccidents that were associated with drunk or impaired driving, were on the rise in every aspect. Accidents from this front were found to be more prevalent in areas outside the metropolis. It was also noted that these types of accidents and incidents involved the youths who were found to be between the ages of 20 to 24 years. The records also saw an increase of drunken driving cases in women and that the accidents were notably at their highest peak shortly after the official bar closing hours. Police records of reported accidents caused by drunken driving suggested that from about 1986 to 2011 impaired driving incidents in Canada had decreased over the years. Even though there was a notable decrease due measures that were put in place, drunk driving however remains a problem that needs lasting solutions. The reports revealed that annual motor vehicle crash-related deaths involving impaired driving had decreased by about 39% since 1982, to approximately 16,000 cases in 2011. These deaths, however, accounted for about 38.6% of all fatalities related to the traffic department.
The prevalence rates of drunk driving were very heart-breaking when they were translated into figures. MADD Canada estimated that there were between 1,200 to 1,500 impaired driving related fatalities reported in Canada each year alone. This number brought to around 3- 4 deaths a day. An estimated 63, 821 individuals were injured in impaired driving related crashes that were reported per year. This unwarranted loss of life should be a cause of concern to every person and to the general society as a whole. According to the sources, more youths in the age of19 years died or were severely injured than people in any other age group of the incidents reported. The statistics also found out that motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death among many individuals 16 to 25-year-olds. Of the deaths that were reported by this age group, alcohol or drugs were found to because in about 55% of these deaths. There were also the cases of young and novice drivers who do not have the experience of driving while drunk. They were found to be most likely involved in risk taking and were not as cautious as their older counterparts. So, even in the cases where drunken driving was not an issue, young drivers were found to have a higher relative risk of causing accidents than the more experienced drivers (Gordon, 2014, December 13). With the involvement of drugs and alcohol in this case, the risks of causing accidents would become significantly higher
Statistics from Stats Canada and Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) showed the prevalence of driving. After drinking by people of between16-24 year more likely to be accused of drinking and driving compared to other age groups at about 33.4%. This rate of prevalence was found to be decreasing with the increase in age. Young people were also found to have the highest rates of death and injury on the roads as compared to all the other age groups at about 55% of the fatalities reported(Gordon, 2014, December 13). Such deaths could be attributed to drunken driving. It was also noted that the rate of driving under while under the effects of alcohol in the youths and adolescents was slightly higher in rural settings than it was in urban areas. Other detailed results showed that more males than females were likely to be involved in drunken driving at about 87%. In addition, 32.4% of the youth were likely to be killed or 40.8% injured in the summer as compared to other seasons (Sacco, & Kennedy, 2011). Weekends and nights were also found to be the times that most drunken driving cases were recorded. That could be attributed to holidays and free time when people go out to socialize.
Drinking of alcohol is known to have some biological effects on an individual. Persons who drink are known to have physical and psychological impairments according to studies. Their vision, as well as perception, would be compromised as a result of their indulgence in alcohol. That could lead to most accidents being caused by these persons. The history of drunken driving date back to about 1920 when the first case of drunk driving was recorded (Perreault, 2011, January 1). As the cases increased, Canada introduced anti-drinking laws which were enforced through Criminal Code of Canada. The laws were later amended, and Breathalyzer was introduced to check on the percentage of alcohol in the bodies of the drivers. During this period organization such as MADD surfaced. Their main agenda was to advocate against drunk driving. Their primary objective was to see a reduction in drunken driving related accidents and appropriate action taken against the perpetrators of these accidents (Arason, 2014).Public Health Concern
Drunken driving has been since then the issue of public health concern. Lives are lost on our roads that could have otherwise been avoided. Most people especially the youths who are in their prime age either die or get incapacitated as a consequence of drunken driving. More and more people become either directly or indirectly affected as a result of drunken driving related accidents. On the other hand, millions worth of property is damaged and lost in the process whose cost is cannot be estimated(Lerner, 2011).Comparable to the loss of life and destruction to property, the statistics that showed that the youths were more involved in these casualties was the most alarming. Besides, apart from the alcohol, there are new forms of energy drinks that are laced with alcohol. These drinks pose the greatest concern to public health officials. Despite these drinks being sold as energy drinks that make them preferred by drivers, their alcohol content has far many consequences just like alcohol itself. It is also an area that the public health sector was concerned about (Gordon, 2014, December 13).Public Health Response
As a consequence of drunken driving, the public health sector has been forced to draw some would be life-saving measures. The public health officers began to educate the public on the dangers posed by drunken driving. This type of education was mostly carried out on the roads and major hotspots. For example, there have been erected digital highway signs that are used to remind and educate drivers about the dangers of drinking while driving on the roads and the highways(Arason, 2014).Some provinces like Manitoba have proposed making driving a high school credit course so that all drivers were taught the basics and ethics of driving.
The public health in response to drunken driving has also put in several policies to check and punish drunk drivers caught on the country's roads. There have been policies like suspensions and revocation of licenses of drivers found to be drunk while on the roads. Drivers under the age of 21 years have also been mandated to have a BAC. Otherwise they also risk having their licenses suspended and fined for not complying with the requirements of the law(Christoffel, & Gallagher, 2006).The federal government, the provincial as well as the municipal governments have also put in measures in place to ensure that drunken driving does not take toll of the country' population especially the most active and productive groups.
The provincial governments have, for example, established roadside suspension of licenses for drivers caught driving while drunk. The federal in collaboration with the municipal governments, have established measures such as producing drinking glasses with drinking guidelines printed on them. The three levels of government have also put in place policies that would deter underage drinking. Public health units across the country, that includes the federal, provincial as well as municipal governments have put in place public awareness campaign against alcohol like educating the public through programs such as rethink your drinking. In other countries, for instance in Australia, similar campaigns to end drunken driving have taken root. Slogans like arrive alive are meant to sensitize the population to the dangers of driving while drunk. The drivers were reminded of the need to visit at their homes live and stop putting their lives at risk while driving. These measures were effective in managing the escalating statistics of road accidents associated with motor vehicles (Gordon, 2014, December 13). The risk of one losing their driving license for an act that could have totally been avoidable has significantly created awareness among the risk groups. Other measures like the road signs have also had a reminding effect on the highway users. The arrive alive initiative too has also played a recognizable role in suggesting drunk drivers that the society needs them just as much as they need themselves (Lerner, 2011).Social and political contexts
Socially, the youths under influence have believed that everyone else is drinking and driving. They often see the statistics as exaggerated. Most of them say they indulge in alcoholism as a result of stress while others are just unaware of the consequences of drunk driving. Parental obligations also had some consequences as to whether a child may grow up to be involved in drunk driving, for instance, where one or both parents does the act (Arason, 2014).
Politically, alcohol manufacturing companies should support and fund anti-underage drinking and driving policies everywhere in the world. There has also been biased in advertising with the emphasis laid on alcohol at the expense of wines and spirits. The guidelines that restrict consumption of alcohol were rarely enforced and, as a result, remain only on paper and the media (Christoffel, & Gallagher, 2006).Critique Public Health Response from Viewpoint of Community Elder
An assessment on how drunken driving has been handled is satisfactory. Without a doubt, numerous aspects ought to be considered to ensure safety on our roads.Alternatives
The society needs to engage influential people like celebrities to further the cause of eliminating drunken driving on our roads. Marketing and publicity should also be more youth centered. There should also be better remunerations in employment so that stress that was associated with financial matters is reduced. That would decrease the number of people turning to alcohol to reduce stress (Christoffel, & Gallagher, 2006).Conclusion
Drunk driving has been a leading cause of deaths on our roads. As statistics suggests, the youths are more likely to die on the roads as a result of drunk driving as compared to adults. The country cannot afford to lose its population more so at their prime age of production due to senseless acts that could be entirely eradicated. The public health sector and the society in general need to take every possible measure to ensure that drunken driving was eliminated on our roads.
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