Even though we all know it’s wrong and incredibly dangerous, drunk driving continues to be a serious problem across the United States. In a number of cases, one DUI can lead to another and perhaps even another. Here in New York, the severity of drunk-driving charges increases the more DUIs you have on your record, leading to higher fines and more time in jail. If you asked most people, they would tell you that these are not consequences they would ever want to face.
But as we pointed out in a November post, in some cases, psychology can play a major role in whether a person incurs multiple DUIs on their record. According to researchers, for some people, there is no negative association between drunk driving and the harsh, long-term consequences that can follow. This lack of association means they are more likely to drink and drive again in the future, only realizing their mistake after they have been arrested.
Research such as this forces us to consider our legal system and its potential short comings when it comes to preventing drunk driving in our country. For people who have difficulty associating the risks of drunk-driving with a negative experience, our legal system does little to help prevent future DUIs. But here is where technology may be able to step in.
Most people by now have heard about the push for self-driving cars. While these vehicles by themselves will offer the possibility of a sober ride, some models may still allow passenger-drivers to exert control over the vehicle. This could create possible problems though if a person believes that they are under the legal limit when in fact they are not.
Coupled with Breathalyzers though, self-driving cars would not only offer a sober ride but they will also be able to show a driver when they are too intoxicated to drive. This could engage the self-driving system, thereby preventing an instance of drunk driving.
Although this technology is a ways away, it could provide a solution to the problem of multiple DUIs, which is a solution a majority of people will welcome down the road.
