Driving drunk is just plain damn stupid folks! If you drink and drive, I have no idea what your excuse for doing so is, but I do have an idea that the drivers of these vehicles most likely had the same thoughts when they decided to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. What gets me is....... that if they had been stopped by a cop, given a sobriety test, and arrested before they wrecked.......the officer would most likely be called a ass hole by the driver.

Here's a question for you! How many drivers and or passengers in the following pictures do you think wish that they had been stopped by a cop before they wrecked? How many victims of some wish they had? My guess would be every one of them!

Notice that I do not call the wrecks "accidents". These people chose to drive in the manner or condition which put them where they were at the time, whether it was driving way to fast, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An accident is defined as " A happening that is not planned or expected" or "A chance event bringing injury, loss, or distress".

Being that Christmas is coming soon, I am placing a link right off the bat, to a TAC Campaign on YouTube. If you are even considering drinkng alcohol, then this video is a "must see". TAC

During 2005, 16,885 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, representing 39% of all traffic-related deaths (NHTSA 2006).

The first set of pictures were given to me from family members. They are of a Deputy's vehicle in which he was killed in by a drunk teenager while on duty. This happened less than 30 miles from my home. Deputy James Mark Windsor

The first of my pictures were taken on I-85 which runs through our city. I don't remember where this person was going or where he was from. Just passing through and intoxicated. DUI1, DUI2,

This picture is of an old Chevy Truck that hit a 4 door vehicle head on. There were 5 injuries in this wreck that went to the hospital. The driver of the truck was intoxicated and not injured bad. He went to jail after the mess was cleaned up. DUI3,

Studies of Alcohol reports that young drivers with BACs of .05 to .10 are far more likely to be killed in single vehicle crashes than sober young drivers. The relative risk of fatal crash involvement is substantially higher for drivers under age 21 at lower BAC levels than for drivers age 25 or older. According to NHTSA, male drivers age 16 to 20 have six times the driver fatality risk in single vehicle crashes at BACs of .01 to .04 compared to male drivers age 25 and older at these low levels.

I decided to add this to my page about texting while driving as it has become a factor in a lot of wrecks. I have worked three wrecks myslef as a result of texting. youtube video on texting.

I decided to try to make a video of some of my pictures on my site. I put it on youtube. My You Tube Video

This site costs me over $400.00 out of my pocket every year to keep this site on the internet due to the size and amount of hits per year. Notice that this site is WITHOUT pop-ups! I could put everything here on a free site, but that would have you closing pop-up windows because they make their money by using the persons site to place banners and pop-ups. It costs money to have your own domain without all of that. If you would like to help me keep this site going, please send any amount whether it's only $1.00 via Pay Pal to the email of rick@slugster.com or click on the button below. It's quick and easy to do. Thank You!

More Americans have died in alcohol-related traffic crashes than in all the wars the United States has been involved in since our country was founded. (NHTSA)

One of the emails I received asked me to point out that driving while tired is also not a wise thing to do. There have been many wrecks as a result of driving while fatigued. I have worked a few myself! If you are driving while fatigued, please stop somewhere and get out of the car for a few minutes, get some coffee or just take a little power nap. A nap of 10 to 20 minutes will do wonders for you. Many years ago when I was driving tractor trailers, I used to do this and it works!

Of the 16,694 people who died in alcohol-related crashes in 2004, 8256 (57%) were killed in crashes where the driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 g/dL or higher. The legal limit for BAC is currently .08 in all states in the US.

A summary of alcohol-related traffic fatalities during the holidays in 2002.

This vehicle went off the road and struck a huge marble sign of one of our local banks. Notice the classic sign of head hitting the windshield. Evidence of no seat belts used. DUI4,

This vehicle flipped two times. DUI5, DUI6,

At all levels of blood alcohol concentration, the risk of being involved in a crash is greater for young people than for older people (Zador 2000). In 2003, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking alcohol (NHTSA 2004c).
Young men ages 18 to 20 (under the legal drinking age) reported driving while impaired almost as frequently as men ages 21 to 34

Among motorcycle drivers killed in fatal crashes, 30% have BACs of 0.08% or greater.
The 16,694 fatalities in alcohol-related crashes during 2004 represent an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 31 minutes. NHTSA estimates that alcohol was involved in 39 percent of fatal crashes and in 7 percent of all crashes in 2004.

We never found the driver of this vehicle. We got the call just after it happened. It woke the neighbors and we got there less than 2 minutes. Knocked down a utility pole which feel across the top of the vehicle, then the vehicle went across the road into another yard. Beer was all over the inside. There was skin and hair embedded in the windshield. No seat belts again. DUI7, DUI8,

A truck full of teenagers doing what many teenagers do. Get a few beers and cut up on the streets. DUI9.

Impairment is not determined by the type of drink, but rather by the amount of alcohol ingested over a specific period of time.

Thanks to Lisa Peele for this poem. He Doesn't Remember

Every weekday night from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., one in 13 drivers is drunk (BAC of .08 or more). Between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. on weekend mornings, one in seven drivers is drunk.

This guys just stopped in the middle of the road and passed out with evidence in hand. His vehicle is still running and in drive. Only thing keeping it from moving is thick snow on the road and a small upgrade.

If you make it to your home when a cop is trying to stop you, you are not in "safe" territory. Many people think that if they can make it home that the cop cannot make an arrest, write a ticket or whatever. That is not the case. As long as you did the offense on a public roadway, the cop can follow you onto your property. However, you will probably get a ticket for "attempting to elude". Don't try it!

I was about 10 feet away when this one happened while we were conducting a Driver's License Vehicle Inspection/DUI Check Point. The guy was intoxicated and struck a van that was stopped for the check point, in the rear end about 40 mph.

Nearly half of the alcohol-impaired motorcyclists killed each year are age 40 or older, and motorcyclists ages 40 to 44 years have the highest percentage of fatalities with BACs of 0.08% or greater (Paulozzi 2004).

Of the 2,136 traffic fatalities among children ages 0 to 14 years in 2003, 21% involved alcohol (NHTSA 2004d).

If you get stopped by a law enforcement officer, don't make any sudden actions including any passengers. Do not put your seat belt on or take it off. These actions could be interpreted as you or someone reaching for a weapon. Remember, we don't know you or what you are capable of doing. Be polite! Even if the officer is not. You stand a better chance of getting a warning depending on the reason for you being stopped. If you argue with the officer even if you know you were innocent, you most likely will be toting a ticket.
The court room is where you need to make your case. Not on the side of the road! Remember in most cases, an officer can do more damage to you with his or her pin, than anything on their belt. It usually goes along with how much lip from you an officer receives.

In most, if not all states.....you can be arrested for DUI even if you are asleep in a vehicle such as in a parking lot of a bar or anywhere while intoxicated. Depending on the state, its called something to the effect of "being in physical control" of a motor vehicle which basically means that you could at anytime drive off if you wanted to while still intoxicated. Many people think that they are doing right by trying to "sleep it off" a bit before driving home. While we as law enforcement respect this idea, too many times a person will wake up and think that they are sober enough to drive while actually they are not. They will attempt to drive home and some will have a wreck. This is why we can and do make this kind of an arrest.

About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.

Alcohol-related fatalities are caused primarily by the consumption of beer (80 percent) followed by liquor/wine at 20 percent.

Both of these drivers were intoxicated. It took over an hour to get the driver of the pickup out of the vehicle. His injuries were serious.

An estimated 310,000 persons were injured in crashes where police reported that alcohol was present � an average of one person injured approximately every 2 minutes. Approximately 43 of our fellow citizens are lost each day, 305 each week, and 1309 each month because of alcohol related accidents. That's one life lost every 33 minutes.

Here's a few pics of one wreck that involved an intoxicated driver that was also driving recklessly. (Intoxicated people tend to do this). The first picture is of the passenger that was sleeping with the seat reclined in a vehicle that was traveling at about 115 mph that struck a tractor trailer in the rear that was doing about 60 mph. The top of the vehicle was sheared off during the impact. This person was lucky to be laying down or they would have been in two places at one time. The vehicle ended up upside down on top of the driver, pinning their face to the asphalt. It took about 30 minutes to finally get the car raised enough so the medics could get to the driver. Can you say Bud Light? From what I understand, they were college students coming back from a big party after going to a baseball game in Atlanta.

Traffic crashes are the greatest single cause of death for every age from 6 through 33. Almost half of these fatalities are in alcohol-related crashes. Male drivers, drivers in the 21-34 age group, and drivers who are of the "white" race constitute the largest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers in fatal crashes.

If you get stopped for DUI, you are NOT entitled to talk with your lawyer before being directed to do the Standardized Field Sobriety Test. (Eye nystagmus, walk and turn, one leg stand) or taking the breath test. When you signed your drivers license, you agreed to take a breath test if ever directed to do so by a law enforcement officer. Also, you are not entitled to a blood test if you refuse the breath test. If you do take the breath test with a valid result and then want a blood test, then (depending on the state which you were arrested) you are responsible for the cost, handling, validity and bringing it to the court.

This person is one of those that just don't get it! I arrested the driver of this vehicle in Feb 2002 for DUI. He was arrested again for DUI in May 2003. I just arrested him again for DUI 08-02-03. He blew a 0.26. The idiot was arrested yet again for DUI three days later after he wrecked his car and blew a 0.31. That's 4 DUI's in less than 2 years. Here's his vehicle on the last one. Picture one. Picture two.

YOU DO NOT have a right to drive a vehicle on the road. It is a PRIVILEGE granted to you by your state of residence.

Nearly three quarters of those convicted of driving while impaired are either frequent heavy drinkers (alcohol abusers) or alcoholics (alcohol dependent) (Miller 1986).

Among drivers involved in fatal crashes, those with BAC levels of 0.08% or higher were nine times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers who had not consumed alcohol (NHTSA 2004a).

All states and the District of Columbia now have 21-year-old minimum drinking age laws. NHTSA estimates that these laws have reduced traffic fatalities involving drivers 18 to 20 years old by 13 percent and have saved an estimated 20,043 lives since 1975. In 2000, an estimated 922 lives were saved by minimum drinking age laws. More than 2,300 anti-drunk driving laws have been passed since 1980.

To really appreciate seat belts, check out these few pictures thanks to Lamar, who let me take them a few minutes after the accident. He also let me take one of him to let you see what seat belts and air bags can do for you. Note: He had not been drinking, but did fall asleep while driving. He only received a small scratch on his hand. Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4

Thanks to someone who I will just call "Gina" for letting me take a picture of her and her son a few minutes after they were in an accident. She feel asleep at the wheel also. She had not been drinking. For those who still think that seat belts are worthless, take a look at these pictures. Thanks to seat belts and airbags, they did not have a scratch on them after their vehicle was totalled. (His arm was already in a cast prior to the accident) The busted windshield was caused by the flap covering the passenger side airbag. Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4

01-25-03 we received another call to a vehicle accident. The vehicle flipped two times after the young man driving it attempted to send a "text" message on his cell phone while driving. First two pictures are of the vehicle he was in. He had his seat belts on and as a result, he did not have a scratch, yet his vehicle was a total loss. You can replace a vehicle, but no one can replace YOU!
Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3

The Myths of Drinking and Driving

MYTH: 1 You can sober up with black coffee, a cold shower, fresh air or exercise.
REALITY: Only time can sober up a person. Many factors contribute to how much alcohol it takes for a person to become impaired. A person's weight and how much food they have in their stomachs at the time of alcohol consumption are two such factors. For example, depending on height and weight of a someone who has had five drinks in two hours will probably need at least three more hours without alcohol to sober up. Research shows the effects of alcohol take longer to wear off on women.

"Women generally get tipsy faster and stay high longer than men matching them drink for drink."

MYTH: 2 Drinking beer or wine will not make you as drunk as hard liquor.
REALITY: A 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine and a 1 oz. shot of hard liquor all contain the same amount of alcohol. Depending on your drink of choice, it may actually have MORE alcohol than a shot of hard liquor.

MYTH: 3 You can tell if a friend is drunk by looking at him.
REALITY: Judgment is the first thing affected when someone has been drinking and important motor skills are next. Even one drink can impair someone's ability to drive. Someone's physical appearance can be misleading.

Our dept. does not work wrecks on the interstate, but we will help the Troopers with the injured and traffic. I think the report for this next pictured accident said that the driver swerved to miss another vehicle and lost control, then flipped several times. Three people in the vehicle, two had seat belts on, one of which had no injuries and the other just minor injuries. The third did not have them on at all and was thrown from the vehicle and killed. PLEASE WEAR YOUR SEAT BELTS!!!

The second largest cause of fatalities is due to ejection from a vehicle either during a roll over or severe spin out. Persons wearing seat belts can't get ejected from the vehicle unless the impact is so great as to tear the side of the vehicle off. (Very severe impacts, rarely seen) Deaths due to ejection usually occur when the vehicle rolls over the ejected person. This usually results in severe head trauma and amputations of limbs.

In 1996 alone it is estimated that 10,414 lives were saved by seat belt use. In 1996 alone it is estimated that 365 children's lives under age 5 were saved by using child seats. 45% of passenger car occupants and 51% of light truck occupants fatally injured were not wearing seat belts. In fatal collisions, 73% of the vehicles occupants were totally ejected from the vehicle and killed.

Please read this poem if you have time. Lost Love.

In Aug 1999, I responded to yet another traffic accident on I-85. It was about 8:00 pm est time. I was the first to arrive on the scene. What I saw will forever remain in my mind. It had to be one if not the worst wrecks I have seen in my 13+ years with the police dept.
It was a one vehicle accident involving a full size van loaded with people. Some were young children. None had their seat belts on and ALL were ejected when the van flipped. (The top came off) I cant really go into all the details now, but all went to hospital. All were hurt very bad. The van landed upright on top of one of them and they died at the scene.
If they had had their seat belts on, they probably would have had only a few scratches. WEAR YOUR SEAT BELTS!!!

On 08-10-06, I went to a roll over on I-85. This person had seat belts on and did not have a scratch on her. Vehicle flipped two times. Pic1 Pic2

Thanks to Roy King for these photo's of a wreck in which someone should have been wearing seat belts. Roy King Pictures

Ok, enough of the seat belt thing. I hope you got the message no matter what your friends say.

One of the first things most people learn in school is the Alphabet. We can rattle them off anytime right? Well......listen to a few folks I have arrested for DUI trying to say them, and remember...they were driving a vehicle. Drunk1 (138KB) Drunk2 (142KB) Drunk3 (215KB) Drunk4 (99.8KB) Drunk5 (219KB) I even got this guy at 1:30 am on a Go Kart. Drunk6. (226KB)

State-By-State Traffic Fatalities - 2003 - 2004

More DUI Statistics

If you have any pictures of DUI related wrecks and would like to add them to my page, please send them to me via email.

This site costs me over $400.00 out of my pocket every year to keep on the internet due to the size and amount of hits per year. Notice that this site is WITHOUT pop-ups! I could put everything here on a free site, but that would have you closing pop-up windows because they make their money by using the persons site to place banners and pop-ups. It costs money to have your own domain without all of that. If you would like to help me keep this site going, please send any amount via Pay Pal even if it's only $1.00 to the email of rick@slugster.com or click on the button below. Thank You!

I am attempting to list DUI/DWI laws by state and or country. If you are a law enforcement officer anywhere, please send me your current laws on DUI/DWI via email. rick@duipictures.com

Alabama DUI Laws
Arizona DUI Laws
Arkansas DUI Laws
California DUI Laws
Colorado DUI Laws
Florida DUI Laws
Georgia DUI Laws
Hawaii DUI Laws
Indiana DUI Laws
Kansas DUI Laws
Louisiana DUI Laws
Maryland DUI Laws
Massachusetts DUI Laws
Michigan DUI Laws
Minnesota DUI Laws
Mississippi DUI Laws
Missouri DUI Laws
Montana DUI Laws
North Carolina DUI Laws
New Jersey DUI Laws
Ohio DUI Laws
Oklahoma DUI Laws
Oregon DUI Laws
Pennsylvania DUI Laws
South Dakota DUI Laws
Texas DUI Laws Part 1. Part 2.
Virginia DUI Laws
Washington State DUI Laws