Autoblog

Shocking public restroom 'accident' is one way to discourage drunk driving

Jeffrey N. Ross — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, UK

If you thought the recent distracted driving campaign from Mini in Mexico was messed up, then check this out. The UK Department of Transport has teamed up with advertising company Leo Burnett Worldwide to create a new ad campaign called Pub Loo Shocker with the hopes of reducing drinking and driving accidents.

At first glance, it would appear that this is nothing more than a hidden camera stunt in a men's bathroom, but Creativity Online is reporting all involved were paid actors. That's good to know, because if it were us, we'd be probably be sending Leo Burnett Worldwide our cleaning bill. Scroll down to watch the video, but we do have to warn you that it is rather graphic.

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Shocking public restroom 'accident' is one way to discourage drunk driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man crashes car while driving drunk and having sex, proceeds to hide in cactus

Seyth Miersma — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Humor

We can say this for 25-year old Albuquerque, NM resident Luis Briones: this is a man that doesn't want the party to end. A report from the Albuquerque Journal would seem to indicate that Mr. Briones is having a very bad week, after risking his life, his female passenger's life and the lives of more than a few motorists on Monday evening.

Here's the order of events, as laid out by the utterly bizarre report: Briones, who was later confirmed (in many ways) to be "clearly" intoxicated, ran a red light and struck an oncoming car. The crash caused his naked female passenger to be ejected from the vehicle, with deep cuts to her face and head.

The fact of the woman's nakedness makes more sense when you take into account that "Mr. Briones was observed to be having sexual intercourse with the passenger" according to a police officer quoted by the Albuquerque Journal.

Immediately after the crash, Briones attempted to drive off, but a witness to the accident (and minor hero) grabbed the keys from his car's ignition. The man then fled on foot and was eventually located by police, "...with one shoe on and his shorts inside out ... hiding in a cactus." Again, as reported by AJ. From the cover of the cactus, Briones apparently refused demands of police and exhibited hostility towards paramedics; after managing to get him in the police cruiser, officials say that the man also refused to keep his pants on.

Yep, that's a bad night.

Briones now faces charges of aggravated DWI, reckless driving and evading police.

Man crashes car while driving drunk and having sex, proceeds to hide in cactus originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 May 2013 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mr. Checkpoint tweets sobriety check locations, raises hackles [w/poll]

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

There's a better-than-average chance that you or someone you care about had a cocktail, a beer or a glass of wine to celebrate Memorial Day and its attendant long weekend. Hopefully, if you were doing your celebrating outside of the walkable zone from your place of residence, you made arrangements to get home without driving yourself. If you live in southern California, some of those arrangements might have involved checking in with a personality that goes by the name of Mr. Checkpoint.

Mr. Checkpoint is the branded handle of entrepreneur Sennett Devermont, who offers a service that will alert you of DUI checkpoints in your area (as long as your area is in SoCal, at least for the time being). Mr. Checkpoint has more than 43,000 followers on Twitter, around 5,000 fans on Facebook and plans for an iPhone app in the next month. Devermont uses those social outlets, along with text messages and his own website, to alert drivers about DUI checkpoint locations. For his part, Devermont believes that Mr. Checkpoint is raising awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence; he's even reported as saying that he made his service free when he learned about the positive impact it was having.

Others, including the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Los Angeles, believe that Mr. Checkpoint merely provides a way for potentially dangerous drivers to evade law enforcement officers. You can get the full version of the Mr. Checkpoint story and controversy, but scrolling down to watch the video below. After you do, make sure to vote in our poll on the subject, too.

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Continue reading Mr. Checkpoint tweets sobriety check locations, raises hackles [w/poll]

Mr. Checkpoint tweets sobriety check locations, raises hackles [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 May 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NTSB proposes lowering blood alcohol limit on drunk driving laws

Michael Harley — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

In an effort to reduce the number of alcohol-impaired driving crashes, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a set of recommendations, 19 in total, calling for more stringent laws and enforcement. "Most Americans think that we've solved the problem of impaired driving, but in fact, it's still a national epidemic," NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said. "On average, every hour one person is killed and 20 more are injured."

The most controversial of the recommendations has to do with the blood-alcohol level (BAC) that consitutes being legally drunk behind the wheel. As of today, all states consider the BAC threshold to be a limit of 0.08, but the NTSB is calling for it to be lowered to 0.05 (the agency points out that over 100 countries on six continents have BAC limits set at 0.05 or lower). The NTSB estimates that nearly 1,000 lives would be saved by the change.

In other recommendations, the NTSB has called for police to use passive alcohol sensors to help better detect alcohol vapor in the ambient environment, and it is suggesting giving authorities the power to immediately suspend or revoke driver's licenses at the time of DWI. It also maintains that states should employ measures to improve interlock compliance. To read the rest, check out the full press release below.

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NTSB proposes lowering blood alcohol limit on drunk driving laws originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-DUI campaign puts the fear of god into drunk drivers in India

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:14:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, India

The Hindu religion is said to have something like 330 million deities - that's nearly as many gods as there are residents in the United States. Another startling number is the amount of road fatalities in India attributed to drunk driving: 70 percent.

Combining the former with the latter, a restaurant called Zara in Chennai worked with an ad agency to heighten awareness of leaving the bar after several too many and promote a designated driver service. When patrons got their cars back from the valet, they discovered someone else along for the ride - and in a country as sensitive to supernatural encounters as India, it was apparently the last god these motorists wanted to meet. Check out the video below - it's worth a watch.

Continue reading Anti-DUI campaign puts the fear of god into drunk drivers in India

Anti-DUI campaign puts the fear of god into drunk drivers in India originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ireland could allow "moderately" drunk driving

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal

On one side you have Ireland's measures against drunk driving: a maximum allowable blood-alcohol level of .05 percent (the legal limit is .08 in most states in the US), and statistics like the lowered limit and checkpoints having "decreased road deaths by 42 percent in the last four years." On the other side you have councilor Danny Healy-Rae of County Kerry who is worried about some of his elderly constituents being isolated in rural areas: Healy-Rae says that the pub is the only place to socialize in some villages, and without public transport and any way to get home after a few pints, some elder villagers end up staying home every night for fear of losing their licenses.

To address the issue, Healy-Rae has put forth a motion that would allow some Irish to drive after "two or three" drinks - with "some" being limited to certain people in certain out-of-the-way places. He is clear that he doesn't want this thought of as a blanket provision for the entire country, saying "on the roads I'm talking about, you couldn't do any more than 20 or 30 miles per hour and it's not a big deal. I don't see any big issue with it."

The mayor of Kerry does have a big issue with it, questioning how someone can suggest that drinking and driving, by anyone for any reason, is acceptable. Alcohol Action Ireland also takes issue, its chief dousing Healy-Rae's arguments with "Those in rural areas who may be suffering from isolation will not benefit from putting their lives and the lives of the other members of their community at risk by drinking and driving." Healy-Rae's motion was passed in a local council meeting by a vote of five to three, and now he's asking Ireland's Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, to consider it.

Ireland could allow "moderately" drunk driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoliv developing automatic in-car breathalyzer

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

According to stats compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about a third of all traffic fatalities involved someone officially classified as driving under the influence - and that percentage goes back at least a decade. No surprise then that various inventions, from Saab's Alcokey and Nissan's breathalyzer interlock to third-party wares like JATY's breathalyzer and nav system and A&A's Alco-watch have been working on a way to prevent drivers from even getting the car started when they're over the .08 BAC limit.

Yet those all require the driver to perform some action, like breathing into a tube, before a corrective action can be taken. Swedish saftey system manufacturer Autoliv, however, is working on a passive system that will measure the driver's BAC automatically "when the driver gets in the car." The company CEO said a production version is still five years away, which suggests that widespread adoption could come just about the time optimists suggest that autonomous vehicles will also be working to make DUI fatalities just a memory.

Autoliv developing automatic in-car breathalyzer originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan to fight drunk driving with... talking urinal cakes?! [w/video]

Scott Burgess — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:43:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

"Don't drive drunk." That's the message every government, charity and local organization wants to get out during the Fourth of July holiday. It's sound advice, too, even from a potty mouth.

According to The Detroit News, the state of Michigan has bought 400 talking urinal cakes that will remind men that if they've had a few drinks, they shouldn't drive.

"Listen up. That's right, I'm talking to you. Had a few drinks? Maybe a few too many?" the urinal cake says after being activated by a tiny motion sensor in it. "Then do yourself and everyone else a favor: Call a sober friend or a cab. Oh, and don't forget to wash your hands."

The brainchild of the Maryland-based Wizmark, which has broken new ground with its electronic urinal advertising devices, the $21 talking cake is part of a bigger campaign to promote safe holiday driving.

Scroll down to check out the lecturing urinal cake in action.

Continue reading Michigan to fight drunk driving with... talking urinal cakes?! [w/video]

Michigan to fight drunk driving with... talking urinal cakes?! [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zamboni driver arrested for drunk driving?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

A Minnesota man recently found himself too intoxicated to safely operate a Zamboni. Witnesses allege the 39-year-old man was weaving across the rink and smacked into the boards after a PeeWee C game. The rink attendant retreated back into the garage as coaches ushered players and fans away from the scene. By the time the driver parked the Zamboni, authorities were waiting for him. He then failed sobriety tests and was taken to police headquarters for a blood-alcohol test, according to The Duluth News Tribune. The wayward Zamboni operator has not been formally charged, though he was convicted of drunk driving once in 2002 and twice in 1999.

Parents took to the ice themselves to smooth out the rough spots so that the PeeWee A league could play their game.

Minnesota law is a bit murky on whether or not the man could be charged with drunk driving. The state has seen convictions for people driving under the influence on both a motorized recliner and a tractor, though the state's Court of Appeals recently ruled one can whirr about on a motorized scooter while three sheets to the wind without raising the ire of local law enforcement officers.

Zamboni driver arrested for drunk driving? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alleged drunk driver so intoxicated he didn't realize his car was on fire

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

"Are you that drunk," the officer asks, "that you did not realize that your car was on fire and you were sitting in a burning car?"

With smoke pouring from under the hood of the Pontiac Bonneville, Officer Eric Hornbacher of the Grand Rapids, MI, police force had just helped the driver from his vehicle, incredulous that he was unaware of the potentially life-threatening situation.

According to Mlive.com, the police were summoned to the fiery sedan shortly after four in the morning, when neighbors raised the alarm about a vehicle that had been revving its engine for an hour. Apparently the driver, who was later arrested, had fallen asleep with his foot on the gas pedal, according to the report. The car was already on fire when the officer pulled him out, but it wasn't a minute or two after he had removed the driver that the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames.

"It is a good feeling knowing that he's okay," Hornbacher told Mlive, "Granted he went to jail that night, but at least he went somewhere."

Watch the crazy police dash-cam video and an interview with the officer after the jump.

Continue reading Alleged drunk driver so intoxicated he didn't realize his car was on fire

Alleged drunk driver so intoxicated he didn't realize his car was on fire originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feds release latest drunk driving stats, launch new campaign

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Drunk driving fatalities were on the decline in 2010, with 32 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico all reporting fewer deaths, according to new data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But the feds are still concerned about the 10,228 people killed in alcohol-related accidents.

NHTSA is launching a new ad campaign, called "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over," to help a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving this holiday season. We've got the first TV commercial after the jump, and it's, well, creepy. "Night Ends For These Buddies" features a group of clearly intoxicated men getting busted while driving home from the bar, but the unnerving thing about the commercial is the ghostly appearance of uniformed police officers. The transparent cops are meant to convey the idea that "they'll see you before you see them" - the scare-tactic message NHTSA wants to get across - but they also bring to mind police officers that were killed in the line of duty by drunk drivers.

Drunk driving is said to account for one out of every three traffic deaths, and it's as serious a subject as there is. Which is why we wonder whether these ad campaigns are the right tactic? It seems like the "crackdown" on drunk driving has achieved furniture-store-sale levels of permanence in our society, and if we're really serious about eliminating drunk driving there are other ways to go about keeping drunks off the roads.

Continue reading Feds release latest drunk driving stats, launch new campaign

Feds release latest drunk driving stats, launch new campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drinking MI man lets 9-year-old daughter drive his A-Team van

Zach Bowman — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Our scum-of-the-Earth scale has a special slot near the top for parents who mistreat their children. We aren't interested in the psychology behind decisions like placing your nine-year-old daughter behind the wheel of your full-size van for a 3 a.m. run to the local convenience store. We just know the behavior is beyond unacceptable. That didn't stop one Detroit-area father from doing just that. The man was recorded bragging that he had been drinking and that his daughter had served as his designated driver for the trip to the store. He then said he was leaving and that his daughter would once again drive him home.

Surprisingly enough, no one at the convenience store bothered to try and stop the man.

Police later received a call from a concerned driver who spotted the youngster at the van's controls. An officer stopped the van, but the father refused a breathalyzer at the time. He has since been charged with second- and fourth-degree child abuse. The bottom line here is that what you do with your own life is your concern, but endangering a child with your own stupidity is the sort of act that deserves far worse than incarceration. Hit the jump to see an AP report on the incident.

Continue reading Drinking MI man lets 9-year-old daughter drive his A-Team van

Drinking MI man lets 9-year-old daughter drive his A-Team van originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A push-button starter that tells if you're drunk?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that two companies have joined forces to create a push-to-start button that can automatically sense the driver's blood-alcohol level. Takata, an Auburn Hills-based parts supplier and TruTouch, an Albuquerque-based firm, have received a $2.25 million grant from the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety to help make the creation commercially viable.

Currently, the device is about the size of a bread box and uses an infrared sensor to determine the amount of alcohol in a person's system. In addition, the invention currently takes several seconds to function and only works accurately at room temperature.

The ACTS grant should help both Takata and TruTouch work through those issues to create a version of the technology that could conceivably fit behind a vehicle's start button, take just a few milliseconds to determine someone's BAC and be able to accurately do so in temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero. There's also the equally challenging feat of getting the device's total cost down to around $200 per unit. The idea is to take the invasiveness of a Breathalyzer out of the equation while still preventing impaired drivers from taking to the road.

A push-button starter that tells if you're drunk? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drunk driving on the beach in your Infiniti FX probably not such a good idea after all

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Crossover, Infiniti, Humor

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... Click above to watch the video after the break

There's something fishy about the video you'll see after the break. No, it's not that we think it was staged, and it doesn't really have a whole lot to do with the car, either... though you could make an argument that the Infiniti FX does have a sort of streamlined Seadoo-ish shape to it.

No, we're referring to the fact that the car ends up sleeping with the fishes after some apparently drunk drivers probe the limits of its off-road adhesion just a wee bit too deeply. As you'll see, the Infiniti manages to extract itself from its saltwater clutches several times before finally succumbing to its watery resting place. At least it makes for a pretty good sandbar.

Watch the results of a beach party gone wrong in the video after the break.

Continue reading Drunk driving on the beach in your Infiniti FX probably not such a good idea after all

Drunk driving on the beach in your Infiniti FX probably not such a good idea after all originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Elena Ford arrested for drunk driving, child endangerment

Chris Shunk — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Ford

Click on Detroit reports that Ford Global Marketing Director and Blue Oval heiress Elena Ford has been arrested on charges of drunken driving and child endangerment. The incident allegedly occurred on Sunday night on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, Michigan. The police report say Ford left the road in her 2011 Ford Explorer, jumping the curb and heading on to the median, before eventually getting back onto the road. Police then pulled Ford over and administered a sobriety test, which she apparently failed. Ford was also charged with child endangerment due to the fact that her 11-year-old son was in the car with her when the incident occurred.

Ford Motor Company declined to comment on the matter, as it is a private matter. The automaker says Ford will make a statement at a later date. Hat tip to Hamzah!

[Source: Click on Detroit]

Report: Elena Ford arrested for drunk driving, child endangerment originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Former AU politician Kennett advocates mints as drunk driving cure

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Videos, Australia

Former Australian politician Jeff Kennett going crazy for Kool Mints - Click above to watch video after the jump

Jeff Kennett is the former premiere of the Australian state of Victoria. During a recent radio show appearance, the conversation came to an Aussie candy called Choo-Choo bars, and that turned into a discussion on all kinds of candy. When the host mentioned Kool Mints, though, Kennett perked up, said "They play a very important role in life," and then began to relate how the sugar in Kool Mints absorbs alcohol in the body.

That was followed by advice to everyone that "if you're ever stupid enough to drink and drive," you should keep Kool Mints in the car to get the alcohol out of your system. The funniest thing the vid could be the radio host valiantly trying to derail Kennett's Kool-Mint train in every possible way short of yanking the mic away. The video is after the jump, and in case you're wondering, the mints won't do any such thing. Hat tip to Liam.

[Sources: AUSmotive, Herald Sun]

Continue reading Video: Former AU politician Kennett advocates mints as drunk driving cure

Video: Former AU politician Kennett advocates mints as drunk driving cure originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top 20 metropolitan cities for alcohol-related driving violations

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Insurance.com just put its pencils to paper for some serious number crunching. The topic is alcohol-related driving violations and the data compiled paints a sobering picture, especially if you live in Texas or California. The land of fruits and nuts (and sobriety checkpoints) manages to claim four of the top 10 spots, with San Diego and San Jose claiming the anti-gold and anti-silver medals. The Texan cities fall further down on the list but overall the big state accounts for five out of the top 20 listed.

We'll give you the top five right now. The rest of the top 20 can be peeped right after the jump.

San Diego, CA
San Jose, CA
Charlotte, NC
Phoenix, AZ
Columbus, OH

Drunk driving is a foolish thing to do, regardless of where you live. It's clearly more foolish, however, if you live in one of the above-listed cities.

[Source: Insurance.com]

Continue reading Top 20 metropolitan cities for alcohol-related driving violations

Top 20 metropolitan cities for alcohol-related driving violations originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA: Eight percent of Americans admit to driving drunk in past year

Chris Shunk — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Despite plenty of data that shows that drinking and driving leads to the deaths of thousands of motorists each year, consuming alcohol and getting behind the wheel is still a big problem in America. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that eight percent of Americans admit to drinking and driving at least once in the past year. That's about 17 million drivers. A quarter of all respondents say they have gotten behind the wheel within two hours of having one or more alcoholic beverages.

To help combat this growing problem, NHTSA is launching its annual Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. campaign. The campaign will be supported by $13 million in NHTSA-supplied ads and a big time crackdown by local law enforcement leading up to the Labor Day weekend. NHTSA chief Ray LaHood underscores the fact that drinking and driving is still a genuine threat to drivers everywhere, adding, "We are going to continue doing all that we can to stop drunk driving and the needless tragedies that result from this reckless behavior."

Perhaps the most disturbing trend involves 16-20 year-old drivers. While most weren't inclined to admit to drinking and driving, the ones who did fess up often admitted to consuming six or more alcoholic beverages in one setting. That's obviously not a good trend, and NHTSA says that its data shows that people who drink more tend to drink and drive more. Hit the jump to read a very sobering NHTSA press release.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading NHTSA: Eight percent of Americans admit to driving drunk in past year

NHTSA: Eight percent of Americans admit to driving drunk in past year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Russia, drunk driving means bottle drinks you!

Zach Bowman — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Russia, Design/Style

In an attempt to convince drivers of the pitfalls of drunk driving, Russian authorities have commissioned a giant metal vodka bottle filled with the broken remains of crashed vehicles. The 40-foot tall structure will be located just off of a highway outside of Odintsovo in order to ~~scare the living daylights out of~~ educate those who may be interested in throwing a few back without a designated driver.

Once installed, the massive bottle was wrapped in the crushed remains of even more vehicles in order to create a more easily recognizable image. We've always wondered what you'd get if you took the time to distill Lada mash. Now we know. You can check out a slew of images of the bottle over at EnglishRussia, complete with burly half-naked Russian construction workers. We didn't say it'd be pretty.

[Source: English Russia]

In Russia, drunk driving means bottle drinks you! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Serial drunk driver hits judge who let him off 11 years earlier

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Back in 1998, Rene Fernandez received two DUIs in a span of three months. The first judge sentenced him to probation, the second judge, Edwin Collier, sentenced him to 60 days in jail but suspended the sentence. Last August, the now 45-year-old Fernandez was inebriated at more than twice the legal limit, got into his Chevrolet Tahoe and started driving, ultimately plowing into a Honda Accord in the oncoming lane.

That Accord was driven by 85-year-old retired Judge Edwin Collier, who had his wife, 81-year-old Ellen Collier in the passenger seat. Yes, it was an accident involving the same Fernandez and the same Judge Collier from 1998. Fernandez is now looking at an 18-month stint in a Montgomery County, Maryland prison for the DUI and the life-threatening injuries he caused to the Colliers.

[Source: Business Gazette | Image: Getty]

Report: Serial drunk driver hits judge who let him off 11 years earlier originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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