Impaired Driving on American Society
Supporting ationale: This topic was chosen because many impaired driving cases are reduced or dismissed because of the errors made by police officers as discussed further below.

Today, there is increasing concern over the potential traffic safety risks that are associated with impaired driving (Owusu-Bempah, 2014). A growing body of evidence confirms that there is an inextricable interrelationship between higher levels of blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents (Owusu-Bempah, 2014). While the number of alcohol impaired driving incidents decreased by a hefty 30% from its peak in 2006 of 161 million to 112 million in 2010, alcohol-impaired driving is still responsible for thousands of American deaths each year (McNamara, 2011).

Although there was an overall decline in the incidence rate for impaired driving since 2006, there are some geographic differences in the United States and some states continue to experience increased rates…...

mla

References

Burton, S. & Steane, P. (2004). Surviving your thesis. New York: Routledge.

Impaired driving. (2015). Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved from   / motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html.http://www.cdc.gov 

Leedy, P.D. (1997). Practical research: Planning and design (6th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

McNamara, D. (2011, December). Alcohol-impaired driving tied to 30% of U.S. crash fatalities. Clinical Psychiatry News, 39(12), 4.

Driving hile Impaired in Canada
Tough new laws have been enacted in Canada in response to the problem of driving while impaired. In this case "impaired" means driving while intoxicated on alcohol -- being over the limit on blood alcohol (driving under the influence, DUI / driving while intoxicated, DI) -- or on drugs. This paper describes the issue, reviews the relevant legislation and laws, reviews the history of laws pertaining to impaired driving sanctions, and offers analysis of the contemporary legal situations regarding impaired driving laws in Canada.

hat is Impaired Driving?

The Ministry of Transportation in Ontario defines impaired driving as driving "while you ability is affected by alcohol or drugs… a deadly combination" (www.mto.gov.on.ca). The fact is that one drink can reduce a driver's ability to concentrate on the road and the traffic. Even one drink can affect a driver's reaction time, the MTO explains. The MTO also explains that…...

mla

Works Cited

Addario, Frank. (2008). Nasty Criminal Law Will Achieve Nothing for Public Safety.

Criminal Lawyer's Association. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2011, from  http://www.criminallawyers.ca .

Bill C-2. (2007). An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to Make Consequential Amendments

To Other Acts. Parliament of Canada. Virtual Library. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2011, from  http://www.parl.gc.ca .

One recent study examined victim impact statements and their ability to reduce repeat offenses of drunk driving (ojek, 1999).
The study looked at those who had been arrested and convicted of drunk driving in which an accident occurred. It examined those who had been rearrested after being in attendance for a victim impact statement program and compared them to those who had been rearrested but had never been exposed to a victim impact statement program.

The study concluded that those who had been exposed to a victim impact statement with regard to their offense had a lower rearrest rate than those who had not heard victim impact statements.

The study examined the results of those who did not receive victim impact statements and found that legal punishment was often the only consequence of driving while under the influence (ojek, 1999).

By contrast, VIPs address the emotional component of the DUI offender's cognitive perspective…...

mla

References

BADOVINAC, K. (1994)The effects of victim impact panels on attitudes and intentions regarding impaired driving. J. Alcohol Drug Educ. 39 (3): 113-118, 1994.

BRAITHWAITE,(1989) J. Crime, Shame and Reintegration, New York: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1989.

FORS, S. AND ROJEK, D. (1997) DUI offenders' reactions to a required victim impact panel intervention, Athens, GA: University of Georgia, 1997, unpublished report.

Mejeur, Jeanne (2003) Still driving drunk: strict drunk driving laws don't do much good unless they are vigorously enforced. From: State Legislatures

messaging during simulated driving," Drews et al. (2009) study the effect that text messaging has on driver attention spans and response times. The authors studied drivers in a driving simulation to examine how the drivers responded to texting while driving. Their findings indicate that texting while driving results in poor driver performance with respect to attention span and response time. The authors note the their scores, which are some of the first in the field, indicate that texting while driving is more dangerous than other forms of driver distraction.
The authors first provide an extensive literature review discussing the issue of distracted driving. They present evidence of how different forms of distracted driving have been show to affect driver competence. The authors also discuss the issue of texting and driving specifically, noting that there has not been much research to this point on the subject, but that they believe texting…...

mla

References:

Drews, F., Yazdani, H, Godfrey, C., Cooper, J. & Strayer, D. (2009). Text messaging during simulated driving. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Vol. 51 (2009) 762.

Problems to be addressed:

There are several problems associated with the issue of cell phone use while driving and the ineffective regulations to restrict the use of mobile phones on the road. First, the increased use of these devices while driving has significant impacts on driving performance. This is because mobile phone use during driving distracts the driver physically, cognitively, and visually. The distractions contribute to the inability of drivers to maintain required speed, lateral position, and throttle control on the road. Since the driving performance reduces, the risk of crashes and accidents on the roads increases. Studies have shown that drivers miss 13% targets when talking and 24% when dialing or texting (Brace, Young & egan, 2007).

Secondly, cell phone while driving contributes to a major social problem of increased crash risk since it endangers the lives of passengers, drivers, and passersby. In addition to the distractions it causes on drivers,…...

mla

References:

Bruce, C.L., Young, K.L. & Regan, M.A. (2007, April 17). Analysis of the Literature: The Use

of Mobile Phones while Driving. Retrieved May 12, 2013, from  http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/Resources/Documents/Analysis%20of%20the%20Literature,%20The%20Use%20of%20Mobile%20Phones%20While%20Driving.pdf 

Noder, S.L. (2009). Talking and Texting While Driving: A Look at Regulating Cell Phone Use

Behind the Wheel. Valparaiso University Law Review, 44(1), 237-282.

That is because texting also involves the same brain regions and cognitive processes as communicating by telephone that are responsible for the dangers associated with cell phones and driving and combines that risk factor with another additional independent risk factor: visual distraction.
Unlike cell phones, which distract the driver visually for only a small percentage of the time when they are being used for verbal communication, texting while driving is a continuous visual distraction by its very nature that makes it much more dangerous by comparison. Whereas cell phone users only look at their devices to dial and identify in-coming calls drivers who text must continually shift their attention back and forth from watching the road to looking at their communications devices. Especially at typical highway speeds, the amount of time typically required to look at a mobile device for texting purposes is too much time to look away from…...

mla

References

AHAS. (2005). Fact Sheet: Speeding Accessed 26 Nov 2010 from:

 http://www.saferoads.org/issues/fs-speed.htm 

Chisholm, S.L., Caird, J.K., and Lockhart, J. "The effects of practice with MP3 players on driving performance." Accident Analysis & Prevention, Vol. 40, No. 2;

(2007): 704-713.

Proposal for New DWI Laws for Missouri
DWI laws will always be contentious, with different viewpoints impacting on requirements of the laws. If rewriting the Missouri DWI laws the following would be recommended, the reasons for each recommendation are provided. 

1.    The legal limit; A person will be deemed to be intoxicated if they have a blood alcohol content higher than the level allowed. The level allowed for drivers of commercial vehicles will be 0%, for drivers under age of 21 and under it will be 0.01 and for drivers over the age of 21 it will be 0.05. The bill will also include any type of intoxication or undue influence of other substances which impair judgement. 
There is a clear relationship between higher blood alcohol content and higher road traffic accidents (Karakus et al. 440; Fell and Voas 869). The implementation of a zero blood alcohol level would be in line with…...

Mobile Phones
One of the most important concepts in public safety is the idea of "accidents." That is the wrong word for a collision that was avoidable either through attention or preventative measures. There are very few accidents on the roads. There are collisions, and they are caused by either mechanical error or human error. The word 'accident' lets people off the hook for their mistakes, mistakes that nobody should make if they are doing their job. The reality is that there are a lot of things that people do to cause collisions. One is that they take their attention away from the task at hand. When a person is operating a 2000-lb, traveling at a speed sufficient to induce deadly force, one may wish to pay attention, to prevent collisions. Mobile phones are just one of many sources of driver distraction, but there should be penalties associated with driving with…...

mla

References

Ruiz, R. (2014) A third of UAE drivers admit using phone at wheel. The National. Retrieved May 28, 2015 from  http://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/a-third-of-uae-drivers-admit-using-phone-at-wheel 

Ruiz, R. (2015). Stowing mobile phones away while driving could save lives, experts say. The National. Retrieved May 28, 2015 from  http://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/stowing-mobile-phones-away-while-driving-could-save-lives-experts-say 

Nagraj, A. (2014). UAE clamps down on drivers using mobile phones. Gulf Business. Retrieved May 28, 2015 from  http://gulfbusiness.com/2014/08/uae-clamps-drivers-using-mobile-phones/ 

Madden, M. & Lenhart, A. (2009). Teens and distracted driving: Texting, talking and other uses of the cell phone behind the wheel. Pew Research Center. 2009-11-16, 1-16.

cell phone use while driving. Specifically it will discuss the increased use of cell phones in the United States, and the dangers of driving while talking on a cell phone. Talking on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. Studies show it is just as dangerous as drunk driving, and talking on a cell phone while driving should be banned nationally, not simply on a state-by-state basis.
CELL PHONES SHOULD E ANNED

Driving while talking on a cell phone has become quite controversial as more Americans use cell phones every day. Using cell phones in public can be annoying and downright rude, but driving while talking on a cell phone can be deadly. One analyst noted, "Driving and talking on a cell phone is like drinking and driving. In both cases, the driver's reaction time is slowed, especially in the event of a roadway mishap requiring urgent response. In addition, a…...

mla

Bibliography

Author not Available. "Cell Phone Users Drive 'Blind'; Study Explains Why Hands-Free Phones Just as Bad As Hand-Held." U.S. Newswire, 01-27-2003.

Egan, Bob. "Commentary: Common Sense and Cell Phones." CNET.com. 23 May 2001.  http://news.com.com/2100-1033-258172.html?legacy=cnet&tag=owv 

Ferzan, Kimberly Kessler. "Opaque Recklessness." Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 91.3 (2001): 597+.

Kanallakan, Jamie. "Cellular Phones: Policymakers Consider the Effects of Highway Usage." Spectrum: the Journal of State Government 74.1 (2001): 17.

One solution to enhance learning might be to require that all officers take the initial course and to then develop online content for 'follow-up' briefings and re-testing of knowledge every six months. This would be more rigorous than the current method of having refresher courses every three years. The frequency of the retraining would reinforce the seriousness of the issue.

While it is true that there is an optional SFST update course to be taken within six months, the course is not mandatory. While an SFST instructor must supervise the SFST practitioner administering the SFSTs' in initial administration, the 35 test cases within six months of the initial training that the officer must complete are not supervised and thus there is no ongoing feedback during the course, limiting its effectiveness. Feedback is an essential component of learning -- in the classroom and in the field.

Level 3: Behavior

While Levels 1 and 2…...

For instance, a decline in peripheral vision may impact the ability to pass approaching vehicles safely, and the decreased range of motion in an older person's neck may impair the ability to look behind when backing up. Also, reaction time decreases by almost 40% on average from age 35 to 65 (Jackson, 1999).
It also appears that the aging process may affect cognitive skills. Short-term memory loss, for instance, can decrease driving skills by interfering with an individual's ability to process information effectively when merging onto a highway into traffic or changing lanes. Such issues are magnified when driving under stressful situations. The higher incidence of cognitive impairment, particularly dementia, among older men and women leads to an increased risk of accident involvement (Jackson, 1999).

According to AAP, as a group, persons age 65 and older are relatively safe drivers. Although they represent 14% of all licensed drivers, they are involved…...

mla

References

Bedard, M., Stones, M., Guyatt, G. & Hirdes, J. (2001). Related fatalities among older drivers and passengers: past and future trends. The Gerontologist. 41 (6), 751-57.

Beers, M.H. & Berkow, R. (eds.) (2000) the Merck Manual of Geriatrics. 3rd ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co.

Central Intelligence Agency (1998). World Fact Book Washington, D.C.: Government

Printing Office.

One of those alarming physical changes is that the younger a person is when they begin drinking, even at low levels the more likely they are to become alcoholics. This change even overrides a known genetic predisposition for alcoholism. (Butler, July 4, 2006) Time forward ads regarding adult failure could be developed at a later time but again such images and concerns do not seem to sway teens. Funding for such a campaign would likely come from national and local foundations that stress clean living, and possibly from litigation funds that have been secured for healthier youth programs.
Alcohol use may begin simply as an exciting experiment, or as a way for a teen to feel a part of his or her peer group, lowering the feeling of awkwardness that often comes with the territory. Yet teen drinking can become a social disaster, that brings on extreme grief and loss.…...

mla

References

"AH shoes the best pillow when your a drunk teen and can't get up!" April, 10 2005  http://www.myspace.com/babyjenaya 

"American Academy of Pediatrics Survey of Teen Alcohol Consumption: Summary Findings,"

American Academy of Pediatrics, September 30, 1998.

 http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/aapkeyf2.htm

Drug Legalization
Pros

Most of the arguments for legalization of drugs are based on the pragmatic realities that it is difficult or impossible to legislate morality. Drug use has always been part of society and even though it may not be socially desirable there are many benefits that can be gained through legalization. One primary benefit is definitely financial. In a study by the Cato Institute, the report estimates that drug legalization would reduce government expenditure about $41.3 billion annually; roughly $25.7 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, and roughly $15.6 billion to the federal government; about $8.7 billion of the savings would result from legalization of marijuana, $20 billion from legalization of cocaine and heroin, and $12.6 billion from legalization of all other drugs (Miron & aldock, 2010).

There are many other benefits beyond money as well. The United States has an expensive and dysfunctional prison system…...

mla

Works Cited

Ghosh, P. (2010, October 19). The pros and cons of drug legalization in the U.S. . Retrieved from International Business Times:  http://www.ibtimes.com/pros-cons-drug-legalization-us-246712 

Lowy, J. (2014, September 1). Driving stoned? States prep for marijuana DUI. Retrieved from The Christian Science Monitor:  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0901/Driving-stoned-States-prep-for-marijuana-DUI 

Miron, J., & Waldock, K. (2010, October 3). Making an Economic Case for Legalizing Drugs. Retrieved from CATO Institute:  http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/making-economic-case-legalizing-drugs

These breath-testers use a range of technologies including electrochemical fuel cells, infrared absorption, metallic oxide semiconductors and disposable color-change testers.
The disposable breath-testers are cheap to purchase and very useful in detecting alcohol in a person's system. When the test is positive, to check for other drugs in his system, the person is required to give a blood sample for confirmation by a laboratory. In addition his urine sample is also taken to test for the presence of other drugs in his system.

Breath testers have been in use in the United States since the 1940s. Then the machines used to detect alcohol were not as accurate as the ones used today. Nowadays mostly infrared absorption devices are used. They have a sample chamber from where the breath passes. This comes in contact with the infrared light, which counts the ions of alcohol thus measuring the alcohol level.

The Tennessee Department of…...

mla

REFERENCE:

1. Jerry W. Kilgore - "DNA Samples Prove to Be Effective in Solving Crimes." Magazine Title: Corrections Today. Volume: 65. Issue: 4. July 2003. 28.

2. "DNA Money." Newspaper Title: The Washington Times. March 12, 2003. A06.

3. Richard S. Julie - "High-Tech Surveillance Tools and the Fourth Amendment: Reasonable Expectations of Privacy in the Technological Age." Journal Title: American Criminal Law Review. Volume: 37. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2000. Page Number: 127

4. News Story: Camera detects concealed weapons in real-time. [  Accessed Aug 21, 2005http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/463051 ]

First Student Placement Experience Expectations

Overall, I am anticipating an extremely positive experience although I am also sure that it will be punctuated with certain doubts, failures, and disappointments. In those instances, I will try to remember that perfection is another type of addiction and that as long as I am making the best and most genuine effort that I can to help my clients, that is the best that I can do. Nevertheless, I expect this experience to be a learning opportunity more than anything else but I hope to accomplish something beneficial for clients during the process.

eferences

Allen, K. "Development of an instrument to identify barriers to treatment for addicted women, from their perspective" International Journal of Addictions, Vol. 29, No.

4; (1994):429 -- 444.

Allen, K. "Barriers to treatment for addicted African-American women" Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 87; (1995):751 -- 756.

Beckman, L. And Amaro, H. "Personal and social…...

mla

References

Allen, K. "Development of an instrument to identify barriers to treatment for addicted women, from their perspective" International Journal of Addictions, Vol. 29, No.

4; (1994):429 -- 444.

Allen, K. "Barriers to treatment for addicted African-American women" Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 87; (1995):751 -- 756.

Beckman, L. And Amaro, H. "Personal and social difficulties faced by women and men on entering alcoholism treatment" Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Vol. 47;