Foreword: The reason for my making this article is to instill in all Americans the need to see that there is a serious problem that is planning to be re-exposed This problem has actually increased in occurrence with a little help from celebrities. This problem has made an increase of 6.25% in terms of reported fatalities. If not for Paris Hilton and a host of other celebrities, driving under influence (DUI) or drunk driving would not have been a serious matter.

In every two minutes, a person gets injured in a drunk-driving related incident, according to NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s report for 2005. A person dies from drunk-driving related accidents every 31 minutes. A much worse number was recorded last year as a person dies in every 29 minutes on a similar situation.

Not only lives get affected, but the livelihood of those victims get affected as well. Some $51 billion in costs have been recorded due to drunk-driving related accidents including auto parts damages. In Kansas alone, which ranked 33rd on drunk-driving fatalities, some $3.4 million has been spent per fatality. To those lucky enough to remain alive, a

humongous $97,000 was the estimated cost per injured person. It is twice larger than the median family income in the state which was at US$43,725.

States which play host to big cities expectedly make up a majority to these occurrences. Taking up a quarter of all alcohol-related fatalities would be California, Texas and Florida. Out of all these recorded fatalities, majority of it would be people aged 20-29. 21 percent of all vehicular fatalities that involved children below 14 years old would be alcohol-related .

All in all, close to 1.4 million drivers were arrested in 2005. The startling fact is that not even one percent of the real number of cases have been reported. 159 million self reports on drunk-driving have been recorded in 2005.

If there would be anything that would appease the situation, drunk-driving in 2005 was definitely lower to that of 1982. When compared to 1982’s record, 2005 was 12 percent better. The sad thing is, numbers had gone up again as 2006 posted a 6.25% increase in drunk-driving fatalities.

I hope all these numbers would somewhat horrify all readers. In 30 minutes, someone will die because of some drunk-driving concern. May we all be more aware of these increasing numbers.