Michael Madsen of Quentin Tarantino blockbuster movie “Kill Bill” was arrested for DUI (Driving under Influence) on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. His blood alcohol level was at 0.21 which is way above the 0.8 limit. This is not the first drunken incident that Michael Madsen got involved in. Although charges were not filed, there were reports of a drunken fight with his son at Madsen’s Malibu home in March.

Michael Madsen has always struggled with alcohol addiction and has been in and out of rehabilitation centers in the past years. Madsen was also rushed to the hospital after his arrest because of a medical problem. He is now out of the hospital and released as well from custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Madsen is not the first celebrity to have problems and arrests because of drunk driving. Mel Gibson, Mike Tyson, Shia LaBeouf, and Keifer Sutherland are just some of the famous names who had DUI arrests. Most recently, young starlet Amanda Bynes lost her license to a DUI charge with most people speculating that she is a Lindsay Lohan in the works.

Problems with Drunk Driving

You may claim to be a social and responsible drinker but there may come a time when the alcohol gets too much and you aren’t drinking socially and responsibly anymore. When you drink too much alcohol, your mind and body are both affected and this can only mean serious trouble when you also go step inside your car and drive. Driving means responsibility and safety but when you are above the alcohol limit, most of your safe-driving skills are affected.

• Concentration: You need to have your full focus and attention when driving. You have to concentrate on the gears, the traffic lights, and the things happening around you as you drive. Instead of focusing on driving, you are most likely thinking about how much you need to nurse your aching head and hangover for the next day. Too much alcohol gives you that throbbing headache, fatigued feeling, and sleepiness which consequently can affect your attention span and concentration. A short attention span, distraction, and inattentiveness during driving can only lead to driving accidents.
• Judgment: When driving you need to be able to make your own calls and decisions with what is going on in and out of your vehicle. You need to be able to make careful calculations about how far your distance and how fast your speed should be. You need to be able to make that correct stop on a yellow or red light. Your mental abilities and sound judgment are affected even if you are below the legal alcohol limit. Alcohol can have that even slightest effect on your reasoning, decision-making and judgment which will eventually lead to a minor or worse, a major driving accident.
• Vision: When you consume alcohol, it can affect your eye movements and focus. Intoxicated drivers are most likely to focus on only one central point at a longer period of time. Unfortunately this means that when you are drunk driving, you won’t be able to see and focus on the peripheral zones of your eyesight. You may not be able to see and react quickly to that woman crossing the street from out of nowhere or the delivery truck overtaking from the left side of the lane. You may also fall victim to drowsing and shutting your eyes for a split second where a lot can already happen with just that quick blink.

So how can you really prevent drunk driving? “Don’t drink and Drive” is the simple answer but the truth is it is rarely heeded with the countless DUI arrests, accidents, and deaths that we already know of. So what can you really do to avoid any of these senseless happenings and become another detainee for a DUI arrest?

• Know when to stop drinking: You say you are just a social drinker, so, stick to being one. If you are a social drinker, you should know when to stop drinking especially if you know you are going to drive yourself home. Condition yourself before heading out for a party just how much you should drink and be true to that condition.
• Have a sober friend drive or take you home: There should be at least one of your friends that do not drink. Talk to that friend beforehand and ask a favor of either telling you to stop drinking when you’ve had too much or to take your car keys when it’s time to head for home. If you are going out with friends, vote on a designated driver who will be responsible enough for all of you.
• Call a cab: If you don’t have someone sober to accompany or drive you home, leave your car where the party is held and call a cab. Don’t risk your life and other innocent lives as you go behind the wheel and drunk-drive. Have the party host attend to your car and just call a cab to get home safely.
• Be responsible for yourself and for others: You should know of the big responsibility that comes with driving. Your life is as valuable as that pedestrian’s or bystander’s life is. You should also know that there are laws that needed to be followed when you are driving and certain penalties await those who drive irresponsibly.