Less Is More: Female DUI Drivers

The ladies are certainly stealing the spotlight from the men, and this time, it’s not a good thing.

Lately, more and more women and even some notable female celebrities in particular have gotten arrested for driving under the influence.

The most recent female celebrity arrested is 36-year-old Alexandra Kerry, the daughter of a former presidential nominee and United States Senator John Kerry.

Alexandra Kerry, a graduate of the American Film Institute and an award-winning writer-director was pulled over in Los Angeles when she was driving erratically around 12:40 a.m. It was reported that she was placed under arrest after she failed a field sobriety test and was booked in the Hollywood Division station.

She later made bail of $5,000 around 5:30 a.m.

The police, who pulled Kerry over claimed to have detected signs and symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. Although her blood alcohol level has not been confirmed, according to Richard French, a spokesman for the LAPD, there are people could be under the legal limit and still be impaired. The blood alcohol level is not as important as to how impaired her driving was.

Women have a greater tendency to be easily impaired by alcohol than men. The Hills’ starlet, Stephanie Pratt who was also recently arrested for DUI in Hollywood, is proof that even one drink of alcohol can result to a BAC of .08 and .09 percent.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the effects of alcoholic drinks vary greatly especially between men and women because the rate of absorption and other factors such as weight, amount of fat tissue, and stomach contents.

Thus, often even if they consume the same amount of alcohol, women can get impaired faster. Women, who are now as independent as men, are also catching up with the men in terms of the number of driving under the influence arrests.

For women who drink and drive, even two glasses of beer can mean more trouble. Even if they have less drinks than men, they are more get pulled over for impaired driving, much like Alexandra Kerry, the Senator’s daughter.

Under the law in California, the police can arrest a person on suspicion of drunken driving if officers believe the motorist is impaired.

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Mother Killed in a Fiery Crash Was Driving Drunk

The toxicology reports are out and the mother who died in a fiery crash on Highway 101 last September 3, 2009 was intoxicated. As in literally drop-dead drunk, her BAC results showed a 0.19 percent blood alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit of .08.

Authorities also speculated that Elucina Guevara Moyado, 39, who was still alive after the crash, was not able to get out of the van in time before it burst into flames because she was too drunk.

Her three children aged 5, 9 and 11 years old, who were with her in the van, survived the crash when they escaped through a broken backseat window. The children were hospitalized with various injuries.

Moyado, who was also driving with a level of methamphetamine of .03 milligrams per liter in her system, was on her way home when she veered left from the freeway fast lane and drove straight into the bridge construction zone where she struck a two-foot high bridgework.

The preliminary medical report shows that the drunken mother died because of the injuries related to the fire, not the crash.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there is an increasing trend among women driving under the influence of alcohol based on 2007-2008 statistics. Statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation further show that arrests for women driving under the influence increased by nearly 30 percent (28.8%) over the 10-year period from 1998 to 2007.

The NHTSA stated that about 2,000 fatalities a year involve an impaired female driver. The President of Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), President Laura Dean-Moody said that women are unfortunately picking up some of the same terrible, reckless behaviors that men have exhibited.

Bad habits are hard to break and drinking and driving is a driver behavior that nobody should ever excuse or justify. What’s really bad these days is that even women, who are usually more disciplined or conscientious then men would think nothing of getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks. What’s worse too is the fact that some of these women who drink are mothers and they are often the designated drivers of the family when it comes to picking up their kids.

“A few drinks wouldn’t hurt anyone…” as some would say but in reality, a few drinks could really take the edge off a lot of driver’s skills, concentration and reflexes.

Some are just lucky they managed to get home in one piece but the rest, like Moyado, can only wish that they didn’t make the mistake of drinking and driving and paying for it with their lives or the lives of the other people they trample on because of their choice to drink and drive.

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State to Pay Woman Injured by Former State Senator

The already budget-deficit State of California is set to foot another bill, this time as compensation for car accident injuries caused by former State Senator Carole Migden.

Doubtless, the first question on everyone’s minds is why does the State have to pay for Migden’s mistake? Unfortunately, tax payers would have to bear with the additional costs due to Migden’s state employee status which would also hold the state government liable for any damages she may cause.

The state has agreed to pay $335,000 to a woman and a child who were in the car which was rear-ended by former senator back in May 2007. The State has also previously paid for property damage which Migden caused when she sideswiped a bus.

It was reported that during the time of the accident, the San Francisco Democrat was driving erratically at speeds over 80mph while talking on cellphone and reading a book in an SUV issued by the State.

Wow, all that speeding and driver distractions? Reading a book while driving? How lucky she wasn’t killed!

A 33-year old woman and her 3-year old passenger however, got the bad end of the deal after they got injured when Migden rear-ended their car which was stopped at a red light.

The senator paid several hundred dollars in fines after she pleaded no contest to reckless driving charges in superior court. She however, says that she does not remember the accident and blamed the treatment of her medical problems for her behavior.

She was previously diagnosed with leukemia back in 1997 and underwent chemotherapy.
Migden is now on California’s waste management board and makes $132,178 annually.

How unfortunate for the hard-working, tax-paying citizens of California that they now have to pay for the consequences of Migden’s irresponsible behavior.

Driving under the influence, whether it is induced by alcohol, prescription drugs or dangerous substances is enough to impair the driver’s motor skills and judgment. This makes them a hazard on the road and Migden, who blamed her medical treatment should have known better than to get behind the wheel if her medical problems mess up her driving skills.

What makes this all the more detestable is the fact that she was reportedly on her cellular phone, talking while driving. And if that’s not bad enough, she was also reading a book.

This is an obviously gross disregard for traffic laws and public safety and while she pleaded no contest to the charges, the damage has been done. And the city of California will have to pay for the damages and pick up the mess she left.

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TV Actress Caught DUI on Fourth of July Weekend

If you’ve ever seen an episode or a rerun of the ‘80s sitcom of the late John Ritter, Three’s Company then surely you would know or at least be familiar with Joyce DeWitt, who portrayed the character of Janet Wood in the TV show.

Well apparently, during the Independence Day weekend festivities, Ms. DeWitt got a little too intoxicated to be good company.

The 60 year old actress was arrested in El Segundo on Saturday afternoon on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).

According to the CHP, last year 1,684 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. 41 died on the road during the Fourth of July celebration last year.

This year, state authorities have prepared well for drunken celebrants and made sure to have DUI checkpoints.

According to a TMZ report, law enforcement sources said that DeWitt got caught DUI when she drove past a barricade. When an officer approached her, he detected the scent of alcohol on her.

The actress was reportedly given field sobriety tests and then arrested for suspicion of DUI. DeWitt posted bail for $5,000.

Most people tend to see holidays and occasions as an excuse to drink unlimitedly. After all, who wants to be a spoilsport or a wet blanket?

Unfortunately, there really is no excuse for drinking and driving. Alcohol consumption is a deadly choice not just for the driver but also for his passengers and for other motorists and pedestrians who may just happen to be at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Fortunately for DeWitt, the authorities were able to keep her in custody even before she can make a fatal mistake that would change so many lives.

Authorities recognize that the only way to drink during the occasion is to have a designated driver who is sober. Going behind the wheel even if you feel you’re fine or just took a couple of drinks is still a risk.

DeWitt knew the risk but still proceeded to drive while under the influence. So now she’s paid ($5,000 bail) and will most likely pay for it with bad publicity and a possible negative impact on her career.

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Drunk Driver Pleads Not Guilty to Murder of Angels Pitcher Nick Adenhart and Friends

“Not guilty”.

At least that’s how Andrew Thomas Gallo pleaded at his arraignment when the 22-year old was charged with three counts of murder following the alcohol-related crash.

Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, 22, Courtney Stewart, 20, a college student, and Henry Pearson, 25, a law student were killed in the car crash when Gallo’s minivan ran a red light and broadsided the Mitsubishi Eclipse Stewart was driving.

The fourth passenger in the car, Jon Wilhite, 24 was seriously injured. The former standout player on the Cal State Fullerton Titan baseball team was hospitalized for weeks for “internal decapitation,” a rare and often fatal separation of the skull from the spinal column.

Defense attorney Randall Longwith even said that his client did not have any malice at the time of the crash and that his client cannot get a fair trial in Orange County and will file a motion for change of venue.

Longwith also revealed that there have been death threats against Gallo and himself via the Internet, phone and in a letter. According to him, his client is frequently in tears during their meetings and was crying when he came into court. Longwith said that Gallo is “pretty much in shock”.

Pretty much in shock? Tsk. The part about Gallo crying was obviously a play for sympathy. Tsk tsk. Too bad there was no mention of remorse or the humility to admit mistake and responsibility for the destroying the lives and futures of three young people.

Not guilty? No intent or malice at the time of the crash? In 2006, Gallo pleaded guilty in 2006 to driving under the influence and wrote on the guilty plea form, “I understand that if I continue to drink and drive it may result in death or serious bodily injury to another person.”

Gallo had a choice that night. He cannot be a victim if he knowingly got behind the wheel after drinking. Perhaps his attorney can say Gallo was forced to “drive” but then again, isn’t that what taxis are for?

Drinking and driving is obviously a bad choice. But drinking and driving, after a previous conviction, without a license and killing people and fleeing the scene is so unfair to the people who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and to the families who will have lost their loved ones.

Gallo and his attorney hardly have the right to use the word, “unfair”.

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