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What do a shopping cart full of laundry detergent, a paramedic truck, and a hit-and-run accident all have in common? Nothing, really, unless you are the Orange County, California man who was recently arrested for driving under the influence of drugs. Allow me to explain…

"Driving under the influence of alcohol" and "driving while intoxicated" are terms which seem to refer to the same act or crime, but they are actually two different offenses in some states. Alcohol-impaired driving would be a good general term to describe any time an individual is drinking and driving.

Although drinking and driving is always wrong, once in awhile, an otherwise responsible driver makes a poor decision and gets behind the wheel after drinking. Although it is still wrong and dangerous, a single, isolated lapse in judgment – if it does not lead to any harm – can be pardoned. But sometimes, a drunk-driving incident that leads to injuries or death involves a driver who has no previous DUI record, but whose history of reckless driving virtually guaranteed that something bad would happen sooner or later, such as an alcohol-related accident.

The Guinness Book of World Records might want to make space for another entry…

Drinking and driving is the result of extremely poor decision-making and leads to thousands of injuries and deaths each year. That is why law enforcement takes drunk-driving very seriously, and why the courts are more than willing to hand down tough sentences against drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking. And that should come as a relief to the millions of non-intoxicated drivers, passengers and pedestrians out there whose lives are put at risk every day.

Penalties for being convicted of drunk driving can be exacerbated by the driver’s refusal to take a breathalyzer test at the time of the arrest. However, the severity of such legal consequences may vary depending on the state in which you are convicted of a DUI or DWI.

Should drunk drivers who get into accidents that kill others be charged with murder? Technically, at least, they can be. Normally, drunk drivers who are involved in fatal accidents are charged with manslaughter, requiring the state only to prove that the defendant acted negligently or recklessly. But to convict a driver who has been charged with murder for a death in a drunk-driving accident, the prosecution must show that the defendant acted with implied malice – a heavier burden to carry and the reason relatively few drunk drivers are charged with or convicted of murder.

Drunk driving exacts a painful toll on thousands of people every year. Every day, drivers across the country get behind the wheel of a car after drinking and cause accidents on streets and highways that cause property damage and injure or kill other motorists or pedestrians. That is why DUI laws are tough.

Police and law enforcement officials are constantly searching for ways to reduce and prevent drunk driving. Thousands of people are killed or injured in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents every year, and unfortunately, drinking and driving will persist as a threat to the safety of American motorists as long as there is alcohol and cars. From tough anti-DUI laws, to aggressive prosecution of drunk drivers, to substantial penalties for drivers convicted of DUI, there are a number of ways state and local governments deal with drinking and driving.

Drinking and driving is one of the most irresponsible and dangerous activities a person can engage in. Although no one gets behind the wheel of a car after drinking with the intention of getting into an accident or hurting someone, those possibilities, and worse, are always there when alcohol is involved. Even a single lapse in judgment by an otherwise responsible person could lead to very serious, and sometimes tragic, results. Unfortunately, most drunk-drivers are never caught. That is why law enforcement takes drunk-driving so seriously.