Jalopnik: Drunk Driving

Aversion Therapy Gives Us Safer Roads!

Murilee Martin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

Image source: Los Angeles Times, UCLA Library

New Study Reports 39% Of Moped Accidents Caused By Intoxicated Drivers

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT

A new study presented to the American College of Surgeons found that 39% of moped drivers sustaining accident injuries had a blood-alcohol level greater than .05 mg/dL — more than one-and-a-half times the number of intoxicated car or motorcycle drivers. So what's the deal? Mopeds (in this case, we presume they're referring to scooters as well) with engines of 50cc or less displacement can be driven without a driver's license in many states. Thus, they become the vehicle of choice for alcoholics who have had their licenses suspended but still, you know, have to get home from the bar. Clarkson? We're looking at you.

According to Dr. Ashley Christmas of the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC:

Upon questioning, we learned that many of these individuals had previously had their drivers' licenses revoked. These patients were very in tune to the fact that a moped was defined as a motorized vehicle with an engine less than 50 cubic centimeters, so they knew they could still drive this vehicle without a license. We suspect that many moped operators are repeat offenders, whose licenses were previously revoked.

Have we stumbled upon a solution for one of society's great ills? Get a DUI, get sentenced to driving only scooters. We'd much rather be T-boned by a drunk driving 100 pounds of plastic at 30 MPH than an Expedition. They'd have to be Sprees, of course. [PRNewswire, Sub. Req.; Photo Credit: Geekologie.com

Ten-Year-Old Drives Drunks Home, Rolls Van At 90 MPH

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:40:00 EDT

Last Sunday, a 10-year-old Tennessee boy was happily cruising along in a van at 90 MPH, taking some apparently too-drunk-to-drive associates home when he lost control and rolled the van, which came to rest on its roof. The only adults in the car, whose relation to the children (including another 10-year-old and one aged 6) in the van was not disclosed, were 43-year-old Randy Lewis (pictured) and Paula Elaine Evans. When the authorities arrived on the scene, Lewis admitted to having consumed at least 15 beers as well as some alcohol while Miss Evans pounded down as many unidentified pills as she could before police arrested her.

All five individuals where released from the hospital with minor injuries, and Lewis and Evans both went to jail for charges ranging from child endangerment and neglect to DUI, a charge which can be levied in Tennessee even if you aren't behind the wheel. After a performance like that, we sincerely hope nobody ever buys that dad a beer ever again. [WSBTV]

Drunk, High, Naked Driver Crashes Into Parked Car While Masturbating... But Wait, There's More!

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:40:00 EDT

Canadian James Boppre, former owner of a successful landscaping business, was on parole with house arrest on condition of sobriety after drunk driving and weapons convictions. On the evening of July 30th, Boppre fell off the wagon in a serious way. It started out with booze and ended with Boppre crashing into a parked car, speeding, drunk, high on crack, and masturbating naked with a similarly nude hooker, who was also masturbating. Yeah, Brendon Alan Erhardt has nothing on this guy...except a video camera. Sordid details below the jump.

Boppre elected to celebrate Wednesday by getting drunk, and in an obviously solid cognitive state, decided to hop into his truck and go find a prostitute. Lady of the night found, Boppre decided smoking some crack with his new friend was a smashing idea, as was taking off their clothes and masturbating. And driving around. Speeding. Somewhere during the execution of this plan, Boppre misjudged a corner and crashed into a parked car at high speed. Car disabled, Boppre then grabbed his clothes and ran off like a streak in the night. His cunning plan was ruined when eye-witnesses followed him to a hiding spot and pointed the cops in his direction.

So what's next for Mr. James Boppre? Well, the judge in the case wanted to reward what he considered Boppre's good behavio, at least up to that point. He had managed to stay out of trouble up until his... you know... his booze, crack, hooker and car crashing binge — so the judge levied the minimum four-month jail sentence, prohibited him from driving for five years, added three years of probation and recommended counseling. We recommend sending this guy into the Yukon Territory with a shotgun, a fifth of Wild Turkey and a rubber chicken, just to see what happens. [TheRecord]

Rhode Island Man Busted For Drunk Driving, Blows Six Times Legal Limit

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:40:00 EDT

Stanley Kobierowski (not pictured) is apparently a bit of drinker and a bad decision-maker. After Rhode Island police arrested him for crashing into a sign, Stanley blew a 0.491 BAC on the breathalyzer — more than six times the Rhode Island limit of 0.08. That's a state record, by the way. To put Stanley's inebriation into perspective, a blood alcohol level of 0.3 is considered blitzed, 0.4 brings unconsciousness and 0.5 is a fatal dose. Our Polish friend here was not only not comatose, but cruising around and running into things — fortunately, nothing living. Bad Stanley, bad! [ABCNews, Photo Credit: EnglishRussia]

Toyota's Drunk Driving Ads Put Everything On Wheels

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:20:00 EDT

Though we sort of question the effectiveness of clever advertising as a way to combat drunk driving (at the end of the day it comes down to good friends and personal responsibility), we have to give Toyota credit for commissioning the "Everything on Wheels" campaign. Developed by Saatchi & Saatchi, the ad makes a nod to the fact that when you're drunk everything appears to be moving as if on wheels. All of the photoshops are from the point of view of the driver, hinting at the danger ahead.

We like the subtle messaging, as opposed to the "Blood On The Asphalt" approach which merely grosses everyone out. Would this get you to stop drunk driving? If the answer is "NO" you're a jerk because you drink and drive. If the answer is "YES" you're still a jerk. (h/t to wcaspian) [Ads of the World via Trendhunter]

MADD Upset Over Drunk Driving In GTA4

Travis Hudson — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

For those that haven't turned on a television or viewed any other website in the past 48 hours, the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV was released to the masses. Like previous GTA's, driving is a huge part of the gameplay, but this version even includes drunk driving, which makes the folks at MADD a touch unhappy.

In the game you can visit a bar. Upon exiting the bar you stumble around like crazy and the antics get even crazier when you get into a car. The car swerves around everywhere and is quite hard to control.

In a statement, MADD said:

Each year nearly 13,500 people die in drunk driving crashes and another half a million are injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes. This is why MADD is extremely disappointed by the decision of the manufacturers of the game Grand Theft Auto IV to include a game module where players have to drive drunk. Drunk driving is not a game and it is not a joke. Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable. MADD is calling on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to reclassify Grand Theft Auto IV as an Adults Only game, a step up from the current rating of Mature and for the manufacturer to consider a stop in distribution - if not out of responsibility to society then out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving.

MADD has its point, but then again, this game already pushes every other boundary. If you take out the drunk driving then you have to take out the hookers, relentless killing and thievery, which would make the game socially responsible and therefore unappealing to the vast majority of Americans. [CG]

In Belarus, Police Make Road Block Out of You!

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Under orders to stop a drunk driver at all costs, police officers in Belarus stopped four civilian cars and ordered them to form a line across the road — acting as a roadblock. As brilliant a plan as this is, it failed to take into consideration that the drunk driver would be crashing into the makeshift barrier, placing six people including a child in harms way. Thankfully, after the inevitable crash, all of the unlucky drivers were fine and the drunk was caught and is now recovering in the hospital. We're wondering if those Belarussian cops were drunk themselves when they came up with this plan. [Russia Today]

Meet Bob Castle - Master Of The DUI

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:20:00 EDT

Bob Castle gets plastered on Aftershock cinnamon schnapps and then gets arrested for DUI. This is his lot in life, his calling. We hate to make light of someone putting others at risk with their irresponsible behavior, but come on, 16 DUI's and he's only 38? And who drinks the schnapster and admits to it? Castle is quoted as saying he doesn't have a drinking problem, he has a driving problem, we say you've got both buddy. Actually, at the moment he has neither. A Seattle judge threw the book at him on this 16th conviction (it took until now?) and he's going away for a year in the slammer. We'll put a dollar bet down that says he learns how to make prison wine inside a week. [Seattle Weekly]

Drunk Cop Naps In Squad Car... In An Intersection

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Soberness is so over-rated, especially if you were dealing with 100,000 drunken morons last Saturday at the Texas Motor Speedway. This had to be the conclusion drawn by Fort Worth Police Officer Clinton Wyatt after spending his day on duty there. So why not knock back a few when your shift ends at six? And a couple more? And a couple more? No problem. Just don't get into your marked cruiser and drive anywhere, that's not smart . And were you do that, it certainly wouldn't be smart to fall asleep at a major signaled intersection — in the middle of the road — where at 3:49 AM another officer arrests you for drunk driving. At least Officer McDrinky didn't pull a Michael McDowell. [Star-Telegram]

Tastes Like Chicken? Or Tastes Like Sleepy Drivers?

Travis Hudson — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:45:00 EST

Tastes like chicken. You know the hidebound old adage well, and maybe even have humorously offered it in response to sampling extremely vile or creepy food. Now check this out. The brainiacs at Stanford University have used that saying to essentially describe the effects of sleepy driving. Confused yet? Well, you know how you'll eat a mystery meat at a cafeteria and say it "Tastes like chicken?" A Stanford study shows that driving while sleep-deprived "tastes" like drunk driving, when the levels of impairment are compared. In a way, drunk driving is getting a bad rap because now everything is being compared to it. DUI has been yoked to talking on a cellphone, using a hands-free device while talking and now being...sleepy.

Stanford pitted sleep-deprived drivers against drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .089, which is over the legal limit, and found that there were no significant differences between the two groups in 11 different test metrics. Sleep-deprived driving isn't necessarily illegal, but use some common sense. There's nothing wrong with taking a nap in a parking lot or ducking into a cheap and sleazy motel for some, er, shut-eye before hitting the road again. You might even enjoy carrying your own sheets to the room. [Stanford via Core77]

World's Best Mom: Buckles Up Case Of Beer Instead Of Toddler

Murilee Martin — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Floridian Tina Williams had had "a few" drinks, lacked a driver's license, and was seen running a red light and swerving across traffic lanes; she played the "I was running out of gas" attempt-to-get-out-of-DUI card with the arresting officer, with predictable lack of success. So far we're not even talking local news story here, but there's more. What catapulted Ms. Williams into the spotlight for her 15 minutes of unwanted fame was the fact that her 1-year-old was roaming around loose in the back seat, yet a case of Busch was safely buckled up in the shotgun position. You know, priorities! [Smoking Gun]

Drunk Drives Lawn Mower in Ill-Fated Booze Run

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST

Sometimes it's so easy to be proud of your fellow statesmen. Let's say you live in Adrian, Michigan, your wife has taken the car, you have run out of wine, and there's a snowstorm raging outside. What would you do? If you were Frank Kozumplik, you would hop on your John Deere lawn mower and drive down the middle of the street to the liquor store to get some more. Police arrested Mr. Kozumplik after catching up to him as he made his way home with four more bottles and a 0.20 BAC. The coppers seized the mower and released Mr. Kozumplik to his home, where he likely finished his bottles and made another attempt on a child's big wheel. [via MLive.com]

HawkEye Eye Sobriety Detector is a Frat Boy's Worst Nightmare

Travis Hudson — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:15:16 EST

The tried and true driving field sobriety test may be getting a much deserved update with the HawkEye detection kit that utilizes the eyes to detect inebriation. It is capable of detecting more than just alcohol, including drugs — light and heavy. Dick Studdard, a man with a very unfortunate name was the mastermind behind the HawkEye. It is a surprisingly simple concept despite the studdard-iness of Dick's idea. Regardless of its ability, I highly doubt it will be capable of penetrating the eyes of the grim reaper himself, Nick Nolte when he goes on a drunken driving spree.

The HawkEye works by magnifying and recording the eye behavior. This can correctly judge the pupil size. With standard field sobriety tests it is on the officer to make a judgement call on the pupil size, but the HawkEye is capable of doing it automatically and even recording the data for future use (YouTube or court evidence), if needed. [HawkEye via MedGadget]

Scotland Tackles Drunk Driving with In-Game Advertising

Travis Hudson — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:45:00 EST

Scotland officials are taking a different route to tackle the drunk-driving Scots. Rather than more checkpoints, better public transportation or other options, they will be dumping nearly $20,000 into video game advertising.

They won't be placing ads in random video games either, the three targeted games are Need for Speed: Carbon, Project Gotham Racing and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. The two racing games make perfect sense, but soccer? I guess one stereotype does associate Scots with being drunk soccer hooligans that may or may not have tendencies to drive.

Let's just hope the in-game advertising doesn't come by way of vanity license plates — SBRDRVR. Getting drunk with your friends and playing Burnout is still acceptable, though, just hands off the keys. [Kotaku]

Drunk Driver Hits Cop Car Stopping Drunk Driver

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:30:00 EST

It seems that there's nothing to do in Minnesota but drink and drive, at least over the holidays. According to police, they were making a stop on the suspicion of a DWI when a car full of twenty-something women from St. Cloud plowed into the parked police cruiser. These are the times when we make crucial decisions in our lives and, in this case, the young lady driving the car didn't make the right decision.

As bad as it is to drink and drive and hit a cop car, trying to flee right in front of the cops isn't a great idea. The cruiser wasn't so damaged that the cops couldn't pursue and, not much further away from the original DWI , the second DWI car got itself snuck in a snow bank. No one was hurt, but all the women in the car were charged with varying crimes and will soon be spending a lot of time in court. [Star Tribune]

Nissan Developing Anti-Drunk Driving Car, Nick Nolte Rejoices

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:30:00 EST

Nissan has partnered with Japan's University of Occupational and Environmental Health School of Health Sciences (that has to look awesome on a jersey) to study the influence of alcohol in the body in order to better understand how to create pre-emptive drunk driving technologies. The end result of this car will be a drunk driving project car that will help researchers analyze how boozed up drivers operate automobiles. We could think of a few test drivers for this project. Full press release below the jump.

NISSAN'S JOINT-STUDY ON DRUNK DRIVING RECEIVES GRANT SUPPORT

TOKYO (Dec. 17, 2007) - A joint-study on drunk driving, undertaken by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. in collaboration with the University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan*1, School of Health Sciences, has been awarded a grant from the Kitakyushu Foundation for the Advancement of Industry Science and Technology. The study, to be conducted between July 2007 to March 2008, aims to determine the physiological, psychological and behavioral influences of alcohol in the body.

The grant will allow the study to progress into the second phase, which will focus on data analysis based on data already collected. In the first phase, from October-November, test subjects performed simple simulation exercises on personal computers after alcohol consumption. Data was collected to measure any impact on their physiological, psychological and behavioral responses. In the second stage in December, researchers will collect additional data following the first stage, such as physiological responses. Further analysis of the data will be conducted to map the physiological, psychological and behavioral indices correlating to the alcohol-levels present in the body.

The study offers great significance as Nissan hopes to develop more effective pre-emptive drunk driving technologies. It is critical to fully understand the physiological influence of alcohol on the human body and its metabolic functions. The joint-study will determine the correlation between alcohol-levels and its influence on the processes of recognition, judgement and operation, and therefore explain the how drinking can impair driving ability. The study results can lead to more accurate methods towards the detection of drunk driving.

Nissan is committed to raise awareness on the dangers of drunk driving, and is proactively pursuing various pre-emptive measures. The company will use study results for a drunk driving concept car project, which allows researchers to study how to detect alcohol in a driver, recognize drunk-indicators e.g. drowsiness, impact of drunk driving on vehicle operation e.g. erratic driving, and driver alert measures. Research results will also be used for another test underway at Nissan involving a driving simulator, hoping to better define the impact of alcohol on driving.

In Japan, Nissan's safety vision is to halve the number of traffic fatalities or serious injuries involving Nissan vehicles by 2015 compared with the level in 1995. Nissan introduced the "drunk driving" message alert on its navigation system in June 2007. In July 2007, Nissan in cooperation with several local government authorities, begun trials on a new on-board breathalyzer system where an interlock mechanism immobilizes the vehicle if alcohol above a specified level is detected on the driver's breath. Nissan is committed to pursue the development of various initiatives to help prevent drunk driving, and to contribute to a safer society for people and automobiles.

[Nissan via Automotive World]

Booze Cruise Radio-Controlled Car Game

Murilee Martin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST

We're not suggesting that folks playing a few spirited rounds of Radio Controlled Highball Navigation are necessarily going to feel inspired to hop in a real car and cause a gory 25-car pileup, but there's something a bit, you know, unsettling about the Booze Cruise Radio Controlled Car. It looks as if you set your drink in the roof-mounted cup holder and then attempt to drive it through an obstacle course straight to your powerful thirst. [Car Crazy Gifts]

Legless Drunk Steers Truck While Legged Drunk Works Pedals

Murilee Martin — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:00:00 EDT

So who's actually driving the vehicle, legally speaking, when one guy's at the wheel and another is operating the pedals? And what if the guy at the wheel has no legs? Sadly, the case of Harvey Miller and Edwin H. Marzinske won't be the one that goes all the way to the Supreme Court for a ruling on this burning legal issue, because both of them were schnockered when they tried to drive a Chevy truck home from their Blatz-chugging Wisconsin revelry. [International Herald Tribune]

Drunk Woman Enters Supermarket, In a Mercedes

Mike Spinelli — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 07:14:41 EDT

When it comes to inadvertently driving into supermarkets, nearly killing or maiming unsuspecting shoppers and causing untold thousands in property damage, being pissed drunk at the wheel trumps mistaking the brake for the gas. Just saying. [via Carscoop]

Nissan Concept Car Shows Anti Drunk-Driving Tech

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:30:30 EDT

Let's say you're drunk and no one's around to grab your keys and accept your wildly thrown punches, verbal abuse and ultimate crying jag. Nissan has a solution. It's a series of technologies the company says will identify a driver's state of sobriety. All together, they can detect the odor of alcohol, ascertain a driver's level of drowsiness (tightening the seat belt to get their attention) and monitor driving behavior for signs of inattentiveness or distraction. They've put them all in a concept car — a Nissan Fuga (Infiniti M45) — and has set about testing the system with the intention to incorporate such features into production cars. That's great, but can't anyone develop a sensor that detects when people draw puds on your face with a squeeze bottle of mustard? Seriously.

Press Release:

CONCEPT CAR TO SHOWCASE ANTI DRUNK-DRIVING TECHNOLOGY

TOKYO (August 3, 2007)—Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has revealed a new concept car featuring multiple preventative features designed to help reduce drunk driving. Presently integrated on-board a production model Fuga sedan, the various technologies are designed to detect the driver's state of sobriety and to activate a range of preventive measures including immobilization of the vehicle.

Alcohol Odor Sensors

1. A hi-sensitivity alcohol odor sensor is built into the transmission shift knob, which is able to detect the presence of alcohol in the perspiration of the driver's palm as he or she attempts to start driving. When the alcohol-level detected is above the pre-determined threshold, the system automatically locks the transmission, immobilizing the car. A "drunk driving" voice alert is also issued via the car navigation system.

2. Additional alcohol odor sensors are also incorporated into the driver's and passenger seats to detect the presence of alcohol in the air inside the vehicle cabin. When alcohol is detected, the system issues both a voice alert and a message alert on the navigation system monitor.

Facial Recognition System

A camera is mounted on the instrument cluster facing the driver to monitor the driver's face. The system is calibrated to monitor the driver's state of consciousness through the blinking of the eyes. When the system detects signs of drowsiness, a voice and message alert is triggered via the navigation system. Additionally, a seat-belt mechanism is activated which tightens around the driver to gain his or her immediate attention.

Driving Behavior

By constantly monitoring the operational behavior of the vehicle (e.g. sensing if the vehicle is veering out of its driving lane), the system can identify signs of inattentiveness or distraction in the driver. When the system detects such behavior, voice and message alerts are issued via the navigation system. The seat-belt alert mechanism is also activated, tightening around the driver to gain immediate attention.

This concept car was developed as an exploratory platform to showcase breakthrough technologies that could potentially be applied in future production cars, part of an ongoing program from Nissan contributing towards the prevention of drunk driving.

Nissan has already launched and is developing several initiatives to help prevent drunk driving. In June, the company introduced the "drunk driving" message alert on its navigation system. In July, Nissan also began testing of a new on-board breathalyzer system in cooperation with several local government authorities, where an interlock mechanism will immobilize the vehicle if the driver's breath indicates the presence of alcohol above a specified level.

Nissan is taking holistic approach towards safety that extends beyond the technology built into its vehicles. To achieve a "safe driving environment", Nissan has embarked on the Intelligent Transport System Project (ITS) in Kanagawa Prefecture - aimed at helping to reduce road accidents via the analysis of traffic data collected from on-the-road vehicles and traffic beacons. In Japan, the company's safety vision is to halve the number of traffic fatalities or serious injuries involving Nissan vehicles by 2015 compared with the level in 1995.

Nissan testing in-car breathalyzer

Wes Siler — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:45:31 EDT

In a potential bid to corner the celebrity market, Nissan is developing an in car Breathalyzer. In equipped cars, the system is activated when the key is switched to "on," requiring the driver to blow into it before the engine will start. If the blood alcohol level is determined to be above a preset limit, it disables the vehicle's ignition. No word on what Nissan's plans for the system are or how long the vehicle would remain disabled, so keep it away from your hilarious drunken friends.

Talking Urinal Mints To Put Kibosh On New Mexico Drunk Driving

Murilee Martin — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:02:02 EST

It's well known that New Mexico has a serious problem with drunk driving (at one point it became the only state with its own "DWI Czar"). In a move that ~~reeks of desperation~~ shows real innovative thinking, the state is now buying 500 urinal mints, to be placed in men's rooms in bars across the state. These futuristic devices detect the presense of a micturator and play recorded anti-drunk-driving messages to their, er, captive audience (in a female voice that is first flirty, then stern). Yes, flirt with me, talking urinal mint! – Murilee Martin

N.M. introduces talking urinal cakes [Illinois Courier News]

Hold the Sake! Japanese Automakers Working On Booze Lockouts

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:00:00 EDT

Toyota and Nissan are both accelerating development of lockouts that would make it difficult or impossible for a tippler to travel. Nissan's contemplating a very long PIN code that would be hard for a drunk to operate, while Toyota's playing with breathalyzer technology. The effort follows a rash of media coverage in the land of the rising sun following a number of high-profile drunk-driving incidents, including one where an inebriated motorist knocked a car off a bridge, killing three children.

Japanese automakers developing cars that refuse drunk drivers [Mainichi Daily News]

Related:
Saab Develops Breathalizer Key [Internal]

Excuse Me Coach, Your Balls Are Showing: Detroit Lions Asst Coach Joe Cullen Ticketed For DUI And "Driving Without Clothes"

Ray Wert — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 20:16:41 EDT

The cowardly Detroit Lions are the only NFL team we know of with more law enforcement problems from the coaches than the players this season. And it's all because defensive line coach Joe Cullen, hired away from the Illini by first-year head coach Rod Marinelli, has been cited twice in the last two weeks by Dearborn police for — in the first instance, "driving on public street without any clothes on. (NUDE)" and according to Lions officials involved (obvs) alcohol — and in the second instance, Cullen was apparently more restrained, and only ticketed for a DUI (we're assuming he was wearing clothing this time). Cullen's scheduled to appear in 19th District Court in Dearborn next week, and we're totally thinking of showing up — maybe even wearing "Fire Millen!" shirts. (allenparkpete, that was for you) [Hat tip to Shane on this one!]

Lions assistant arrested for nude driving and drunken driving [Freep]

Sorrell Booke's Spinning In His Grave With Glee

Ray Wert — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 07:30:32 EST

Luke Duke is finally getting some time behind bars. Tom Wopat, the actor who played Luke Duke on the TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard" looks to be facing a drunken driving charge in northern New Jersey. Wopat was pulled from a Ford Bronco at around 6:30 PM Wednesday after running over some traffic cones and almost hitting ~~Roscoe's~~ a police cruiser. Wopat was no doubt drunk as a skunk on some of Uncle Jesse's moonshine.

That scoundrel!

Actor who played Luke Duke charged with drunken driving [AP New Jersey via our siblings at Gawker]

Related:
More drunk driving [internal]

Drinking and Driving in the District: DC's Booze Laws Draconian?

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 13:56:35 EDT

Debra Bolton ended up in the hoosegow over a glass of wine with dinner and a .03 blood-alcohol level. In Washington, DC, unlike most other areas of the country, if one's blood contains more than .01 percent joy juice, one can be found eligible for a night in the slammer if one apprehended while operating a motor vehicle. In Bolton's case, her Acura MDX's headlights weren't on, their automatic function possibly deactivated by a sneaky parking attendant. And while she chose to fight the case against her made by the District, Bolton has since decided to take her drinking and driving to the Commonwealth of Virginia, just to be on the safe side. [Thanks to CTE for the tip.]

Single Glass of Wine Immerses D.C. Driver in Legal Battle [Washington Post]

Volvo to Gov't: Mommy, Can I Go Out and Drink Tonight?

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 21 Jul 2005 11:58:28 EDT

We went through a phase back in the late '90s where seemingly almost every girl we got involved with liked to drink and drove a Volvo. Our current phase apparently involves Texan women born in March who were coming off of failed relationships with drummers, but we digress. Back to booze 'n' Volvos. The Ford division, whose name means "I Roll" in Latin, is gearin' up to roll deep gin and juice in hand on a test track near G teborg to test a new system that would sense if the driver's reaction time had slowed and adjust the controls accordingly. For this, it needs the permission of the Swedish government, whose drunk-driving laws are among the most stringent in the world. One beer and you could find yourself locked in the Courvoisier-free wing of a Stockholm hoosegow for six months. Oof.

Volvo asks gov't if it can drive drunk [Newsday]