Of the three alcohol-related issues that Pernod Ricard USA is addressing in this Web site, drunk driving is perhaps the most devastating to human life.

How serious is this problem? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the 16,885 people who died in alcohol-related crashes in 2005, 14,539, or 87%, were killed in crashes where at least one driver or pedestrian had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 g/dL or higher (.08 currently is the legal limit for BAC in all 50 states). Moreover, the most frequently recorded BAC level among drinking drivers involved in fatal crashes was .18, or more than double the legal limit, NHTSA data shows.

Pernod Ricard USA believes everyone who decides to drink beverage alcohol must first think responsibly. If you drink and decide to drive, you must be certain your blood alcohol content is under the legal limit. For most people, that is not more than one drink per hour – with a drink defined as 1.5 oz. of spirits, 5 oz. of wine or 12 oz. of beer. Accepting responsibility for some of you may mean not drinking at all when you are driving.

What is unacceptable is making excuses for drunk driving. This Web site and related links contain information about how we rationalize driving when we have had too much to drink, including how to recognize this dangerous behavior and how to overcome it.

Please see our Links & Resources page for a selection from the many, independent information resources about binge drinking that are available to youth, adults and parents. In turn, many of these sites include links to additional information on alcohol issues.