Florida, ranking No.. 18 in the nation with DUIs, has contributed 770 deaths to that number, accounting for 30 percent of Florida's traffic deaths, according to MADD.
To break down the numbers even more, The Bullsheet Journal conducted a survey, asking 10 people questions about drunken driving and DUIs.
Asking if the people had ever driven drunk, 44 percent said yes. However, when asked if they had ever been driven by a dunk diver, 59 percent said yes.
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| Results from a survey distributed by The Bullsheet Journal / Stone |
And while only 2 percent of those surveyed said that they had a DUI, 63percent said that they knew someone who has been in a DUI-related accident.
University of South Florida student Anthony, a sophomore majoring in engineering, can contribute to the 2 percent of the survey; he was arrested on Oct. 14, charged with a DUI.
Anthony had a blood alcohol content of 0.20 percent, according to the Hillsborough County Sherriff's Office (HCSO).
"I got pulled over on Bruce B. Downs after leaving World of Beer for apparently not yielding to an emergency vehicle," he said. "I then took the field sobriety test and was arrested."
Anthony does not drink and drive often, he usually has a designated driver. This night was different.
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| Results from a survey distributed by The Bullsheet Journal / Stone |
"I drove so my friend didn't have to, and I didn't want to leave my car there," he said.
While Anthony did not injure anyone while driving under the influence, others were not so lucky.
Kate Kohlier, a 24-year-old USF student about to graduate, was killed Saturday along with a coworker when an alleged drunken-driver, Matthew Moye, struck the two after his car jumped the curb on the Harbour Island bridge, according to TBO.com.
Kayoko Ishizuka, a 30-year-old USF researcher and post-graduate student, was killed during a hit and run on Sept. 25. The driver, Shawn Burton, was later arrested.
Speculation about his whereabouts, including a bar, earlier in the evening led investigators to believe he could have been drunk.
Fowler Avenue, a road that students frequent on the south side of the USF campus connecting Interstate Highway 75 and Interstate Highway 275, has seen its share of drunken drivers.
From Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, the busy road was home to 12 "driving while under the influence" calls, according to the HCSO.
Sgt. Charlotte Domingo of the USF Police Department said the USF campus has regularly conducted DUI checkpoints.
"Their effectiveness has a couple different layers to it," she said. "If the person is intoxicated, we want them off the street. We give notice ahead of time so hopefully people will reconsider."
While Anthony says there is nothing he can do about his DUI now, except learn from his mistakes, he does have advice.
"I try to not let people drive drunk as a result of what happened," he said.
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