Drunk Driving: What is it a sign of?

It’s a familiar headline…a celebrity has been arrested for drunk driving.  The mug shot
shows us a not at all glamorous photo of Mel Gibson or Lindsay Lohan or Kiefer Sutherland. Even though celebrity arrests fill the headlines, most people arrested for drunk driving do not work as movie stars. Instead, they work as analysts, attorneys, students, stay-at-home moms, janitors, pilots, nurses, teachers, social workers, bus drivers, clerks and managers. In other words, they are people like you and me.

Much attention has been paid in the press about the crime of drunk driving. It’s hard to imagine that anyone who holds a driver’s license and who operates a motor vehicle has not learned that drunk driving is a serious crime with serious consequences. Never mind the shame, guilt and hassle, the typical cost for a drunk driving arrest averages about “$10,000 by the time you pay bail, fines, fees and insurance, even if you didn’t hit anything or hurt anybody.” (MSN Money). The penalties are there for a good reason. Drunk drivers kill approximately 17,000 people every year.
 
So, why do people continue to drive drunk? With so much to lose, why would someone take such a risk?

One explanation is that an arrest for drunk driving can be a sign of a serious underlying condition—alcoholism.

One of the hallmark signs of alcoholism is the continued use of alcohol in the face of negative or adverse consequences. These negative consequences include legal costs from a drunk driving arrest, relationship/family conflict, health problems, absenteeism and/or performance problems at work.

The County of Santa Clara’s Employee Assistance Program helps County employees and their family members with a range of personal and work-related problems including alcoholism and drug addiction. EAP provides confidential counseling, assessment and referral services. Typically, the problem of alcohol and drug addiction ranks fifth in presenting problems at the EAP with marital/relationship issues being number one; psychological issues such as depression or anxiety being number two; family/parenting issues number three; work-related problems such as interpersonal conflict as number four. Alcohol/drug/addiction issues affect approximately 20% of employees and family members who use the EAP. Sometimes the first clue that there is a serious problem is a drunk driving arrest.

If you or your family has been affected by alcohol or drugs, please know that the EAP provides confidential counseling for county employees and their eligible family members. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about the EAP, you may call 408/241-7772 or visit our website at www.scceap.org.