While the total number of drinking youths has remained fairly constant, there was a 56 percent increase in binge drinking from 18 to 20 year olds between 1993 and 2001. In addition, close to 5,000 people die every year due to underage drinking, including victims of drunk driving accidents from underage drivers.

During the debate, students also had the opportunity to weigh in on how “21″ affects them.

Choose Responsibility Blog

Over The Years

Over the years, the Ford F-150 has seen many changes. It has gone through 12 different variations since coming on the market back in the 40s. Today, the heralded pickup truck features technology that is at the forefront of the automotive industry. The brand new safety features that Ford has implemented into its pickup truck line is unmatched by any other manufacturer. Also, this current version of the F-150 offers consumers some of the best fuel efficiency available in a pickup truck of this size. The interior of the F-150 could easily be mistaken for a luxury SUV as it has more room and comfort than any previous Ford F-150.

Interiors

Again, this version of the Ford F-150 has one of the nicest interiors that the company has ever offered. Beginning with the seat heaters and powerful air-conditioning unit, you will be sure to stay comfortable while driving in bad weather. Also, this version of the F-150 offers a rear view camera to assist drivers with backing up and parallel parking. This is a very useful feature on a truck that is this big, when you cannot always see behind you by looking over your shoulder. In addition to these awesome features, the truck offers one of the quietest rides on the road for a pickup truck. You will hardly hear a thing from the outside world even as you roar down the highway.

Fuel Efficiency

Everyone knows how important it is to get a vehicle that has good gas mileage. With the price of gas showing no signs of coming down, having a truck that gives you optimal fuel efficiency is paramount. The Ford F-150 has the best fuel economy out of all of the pickup trucks currently on the market. It does this in addition to offering the most horse power, as well. This combination makes the Ford F-150 on of the smartest pickup truck choices that there is. Ford has responded to customer demands by producing a truck that is able to powerfully tow a large load while maintaining excellent fuel efficiency.

If you are in the market for a pickup truck that is powerful, safe and fuel efficient you should consider taking a look at the new Ford F-150. It has some of the best gas mileage around and is one of the safest pickup trucks on the road. It features a state of the art interior and looks amazing. If you are interested in aftermarket tire & wheel packages you should consider outfitting your Ford F-150 with KMC wheels. This will help improve the profile of the truck while also improving its handling performance. The Ford F-150, outfitted with KMC wheels, will make a bold and powerful statement on any road.

Researchers in many studies have also suggested that older drivers are more likely than younger drivers to suffer from health problems, including vision problems, which can affect driving safety. However, there is some debate about the best methods for identifying drivers who are at risk due to health issues.

Some experts have suggested mandatory re-testing for older drivers who want to renew their licenses. The benefit of this plan is that it would ensure that age-related illnesses might be caught more often. However, others argue that such testing would increase costs and would not necessarily help, since adults of any age can develop health conditions that prevent them from driving safely.

Other experts have suggested that doctors take a larger role in keeping unsafe drivers off the roads, by being more aggressive in removing drivers with potentially hazardous conditions from the roads by taking away licenses. Many doctors are reluctant to adopt this plan, however, noting that even adults with chronic conditions can eventually manage their conditions and drive safely, making it difficult for doctors to distinguish safe drivers and unsafe drivers. Many doctors point out as well that their role is medicine, not policing the roadways.

While Fort Lauderdale pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents involving elderly drivers often make the news, many experts point out that older drivers are actually less likely to cause a collision than a distracted driver or young driver. Some experts feel that targeting older drivers is unfair for this reason.

One of the best options is for drivers to voluntarily give up their keys when they know that they are no longer able to drive safely. However, this solution is also problematic for a number of reasons. In many cases, drivers are not aware that their condition or symptoms are a danger to themselves or others. In addition, many older drivers are reluctant to give up driving privileges because of the freedom of movement and the independence that driving offers.

In some cases, an illness or symptoms may come on very suddenly, and a driver may have no indication that there is something wrong until it is too late. A driver may have a sudden heart attack, for example, and cause a Fort Lauderdale truck accident without having had any previous symptoms of heart problems. Predicting possible health dangers for drivers ahead of time is just not always possible.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Important Decision

Recovery, although one of the most important steps in any addicts life comes with a hefty price tag. It means separating yourself from your loved ones, and if you are lucky enough to still be working, it means you must take a hiatus from making money as well. That is why there are options; there are intensive residential alcohol rehabilitation as well as partial hospitalizations. These options allow for individual circumstances. Ultimately it will be up to you team to help decide which option is best for you.

Outpatient Options

There are many different types of outpatient facilities out there for recovering addicts to choose from. There are some programs that are only a few days a week and may be a good option for those with other responsibilities. Outpatient treatment is, usually, only recommended for those individuals who are far along in their recovery. It is not a good idea for someone who has just checked into rehabilitation.

Partial Hospitalization

There are many different types of partial hospitalization recovering addicts can check into. These facilities, generally, have strict schedules for individuals who choose to partake in their programs, however. There are many benefits to this type of treatment center. You are under constant supervision by trained, medical professionals at all times. This helps ensure you will not experience any painful withdrawal symptoms while you are there, as they can properly manage them. This type of setting may be good for parents who need to go home at night to see their children.

Proper Aftercare

With all recovery programs there is a strong emphasis on aftercare. This refers to the resources offered after rehabilitation. Aftercare offers invaluable tools towards maintaining recovery as well as coping mechanisms for dealing with stress. Often using drugs or alcohol was a crutch, so now even after rehabilitation an individual will need support to maintain recovery. In addition to continued therapy and counseling, meetings and sponsors are recommended. An attitude towards recovery is ultimately the only thing that will guarantee successful sobriety.

An article about the report, published by the Irish Times, claims that supermarket alcohol bolsters binge drinking because of its accessibility and low cost. Pubs encourage responsibility because of the communal atmosphere and cost that are associated with consuming in public. The article quotes Dr. Joe Barry, head of the department of public health at Trinity College Centre for Health Sciences, who argues,

The real difficulty…is cheap drink in supermarkets. It appeals particularly to young people and those dependent on alcohol. Because drink in a pub is dearer, you’ll do yourself less damage there for the same amount of money spent.

Read the full article here.

Choose Responsibility Blog

DUI Charges Dropped Against Judge


Willowbrook, IL.  Feb. 15 – Charges were dropped Wednesday against a veteran Cook County judge accused of drunken driving last fall in Willowbrook, his attorney said.

Judge James Gavin was charged with misdemeanor DUI after police pulled him over Oct. 28 for using the shoulder to pass another motorist on southbound Illinois Route 83 after he had exited a tobacco store.

Police alleged that Gavin, 55, smelled of alcohol and failed an eye-gaze test before refusing to submit to other field sobriety and blood-alcohol testing. His license initially was suspended for his refusal to submit to the tests. But, on Dec. 7, DuPage County Judge Liam Brennan ordered that Gavin’s license be returned, ruling police lacked sufficient evidence to stop Gavin.

On Wednesday, at a hearing in which the defense sought to quash the arrest and suppress evidence, Brennan ruled that the act of driving on the shoulder absent other evidence of impairment was insufficient for the case to continue.

“The problem I have is all the other things that we typically look for to support a DUI arrest simply are not here,” said Brennan, according to a transcript provided by the defense. “Mr. Gavin was polite, oriented to time, place and person. I don’t think in the context of all the other things we expect to see and don’t see that there was reasonable grounds for his arrest.”…

Hmmmm…."The police lacked sufficient evidence to stop" the judge?  Since when is passing on a shoulder insufficient evidence to stop and ticket a driver?  

And "the act of driving on the shoulder absent other evidence of impairment was insufficient for the case to continue"?  Uh, what about smelling of alcohol, failing the "eye-gaze" nystagmus field sobriety test, refusing to take any more field sobriety tests and refusing all blood-alcohol testing?  And I’m pretty sure a few other things which are standard in any cop’s arrest report weren’t mentioned — slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, etc.  And what about the fact that a refusal to submit to testing is legally admissible as evidence of consciousness of guilt? 

Oh, right.  The judge must have been sober: he was polite, knew what time it was, knew where he was, and knew who he was.  Incredible.

For other examples of judges getting free passes, see When Judges Judge Judges, DUI Double Standard Continues, When Judges Protect Their Own, Who Will Guard the Guardians, and Who Judges the Judges?.
 

DUI BLOG

24-Hour Care

The stay at the center includes trained staff members being available twenty-four hours every day so a patient can get care when they need it. This is another good reason to stay at one of these centers instead of participating in an outpatient program. With residential treatment, a person does not have access to any negative influence that could tempt them into falling back into their addiction.

Away From Negative Influence

It is hard enough for someone to end an addiction but when they are in the same surroundings with the same people who also use drugs, it makes the process twice as hard. Removing the person from the area of their life where they have access to drugs is important. That is why going to a residential drug rehab is a good idea because there will never be a bad influence there.

The Staff

The licensed staff at these centers is there to help the client through the hard times of withdrawal. The staff members are trained to deal with complicated conditions that their patients will suffer and they will be by their side to see them through each one. Residential treatment is the best possible option for a person who is trying give up an addiction.

Individual Plan

For someone who has a long-term addiction, residential drug rehab should be the only choice they make after they make the decision to get help. These are always more effective than other arrangements because they are known for helping the patient stay sober for the rest of their lives. The center of choice will address each person’s problem individually and base their plans for treatment on the drug they are addicted to.

Three Phases

There are usually three phases a person will go through when they are in long-term care and these consist of the primary addiction treatment, living sober, and outpatient therapy. A patient will not move onto the next stage until the first is completed. The time for the primary treatment will vary depending on what the patient is addicted to. With any dependence, all three phases of treatment are necessary for the individual to succeed in staying sober.

Reveals Weakness

Treatment includes trying to uncover why the patient began using or what circumstances may have driven them to this addiction. When this fact is revealed, the patient is given drug addiction detox to help them get passed that issue so they can move on with their lives. The final phase includes learning how to live in a world surrounded with triggers or things that can influence the patient to use again.

Addiction

Addiction has many forms. Drug addictions and alcohol addiction are the most common forms. An addiction to any substance or behavior takes over an addict’s life. A substance abuse addiction impacts the addict’s body physically and seriously alters their mental status. The body begins to rely on the substance and will be unable to function without it. It will eventually affect all aspects of an individual’s life.

Detox

Because an addiction to drugs or alcohol has such an effect on the body, the body begins to rely on the substance in order to function properly. This is why one of the first steps in recovery is going through a alcohol medical detox program. Detox should be conducted in a safe environment with medical supervision around due to the severe reactions that can occur.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is the process by which an addict fully gains control of their life again. The word rehabilitate comes from the French word for live. Basically rehab teaches an addict how to live again without their addiction. Through counseling and therapeutic approaches an addict will gain the tools and resources needed to remain addiction free.

Counseling

Counseling is an integrative part of rehabilitation. Counseling helps the recovering addict cope with the feelings that lead them to addiction. Often times those suffering from a substance abuse problem have a co-occurring disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.

Therapy

There are many different approaches to therapy. Therapy is a more intense version of counseling and works towards a goal. Just as there are different forms of counseling there are also different forms of therapy. There are holistic approaches as well as cognitive behavioural therapy. It is up to an individual team to decide which therapy is the best for them.

Aftercare

The only way to a successful recovery is to fully complete an addiction recovery program. Completion does not mean when the inpatient rehab is over. Aftercare refers to the care after inpatient treatment that deals with addiction issues. It is important for those in recovery to seek these services out and use them. They will continue the education process regarding recovery and instill more tools and resources that will lead to a successful recovery and a happy healthy life.