Strategies to Prevent Driving Under the Influence

Driving Photo by Samuele Errico Piccarini on Unsplash

An accomplished law enforcement officer with more than two decades of experience, Adrian “AJ” Poux most recently served as a police officer with the Lock Haven University Police Department. A law and justice graduate from the College of New Jersey, Mr. Poux has worked for a number of police departments during his career. While serving at Lock Haven University Police Department, Adrian J. Poux received the Top Gun award for making the most DUI arrests in Pennsylvania in 2016.

Driving under the influence (DUI) is an offense that occurs when an individual operates a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a prescription medication that can impair their judgment while on the road. DUI laws vary somewhat from state to state, and driving under the influence can seriously endanger the safety of both intoxicated drivers and other road users. There are strategies that can be put in place to reduce DUI incidences. For starters, sobriety checkpoints allow law enforcement to flag down vehicles at specific, highly visible locations to check if drivers are impaired. Police can either stop all vehicles or randomly select drivers to stop and perform breath tests for those suspected of being intoxicated.

Ignition interlocks can also be installed in vehicles that measure the levels of alcohol in a driver’s breath. Interlocks prevent the car from starting if a driver’s alcohol level surpasses 0.02 percent. This technology is effective for preventing repeat offenders, but is ideal for any driver who is likely to drink and drive. Finally, there are school-based instructional programs that teach teenagers not to let drunk drivers take control of a vehicle, which is one more way to reduce accidents.