How Drunk Driving Became Illegal

History has proven that drinking and driving do not mix. However unpopular “drinking and driving” or conversely “driving under the influence” has become, alcohol was once a household staple and in most cases, safer to drink than polluted water. With the absence of water filtration systems, people would become sickened with diseases like typhus, dysentery, hepatitis A or other water-borne diseases. Beer or wine on the other hand, was an effective analgesic, provided energy for hard work and overall made living life more pleasurable, without causing illness or spreading disease. If you were arrested for DUI, contact a DUI attorney without delay.

As the Puritans came across on the Mayflower, it was documented that they brought along more beer than water. Beer and wine were seen as a natural part of life, where men, women and children partook in the consumption equally alike. Colonists learned to make wine from nearly every berry available to them such as strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, gooseberries and currants. They even made wine from a variety of vegetables, flowers, herbs and leaves.

Alcohol in More Modern Times

From 1500-1800, alcohol was viewed as a gift of God which was supposedly created to be used in moderation for pleasure, enjoyment and health. This concept reflects the religious views of the era amongst the Protestants, Catholics and the Puritans alike. Despite the fact that alcohol was believed to be a good thing in moderation, during the 16^th century, people consumed a relatively large amount of alcohol on a daily basis. For example, English sailors were given a ration of 1 gallon of beer per day.

Although drinking and drunkenness was an everyday part of life in the 18^th century, it wasn’t until the 19 ^th century where the public views and attitudes would change about overconsumption of alcoholic beverages and the drunken episodes that followed. As technology improved and industrialization changed society, so did the opinions about drinking. People needed and expected productive and punctual employees; there was no room for accidents induced by alcohol or hung-over workers.

In the 1950’s drunk drivers walked away with a slap on the wrist. It wasn’t until after the 1980’s that public awareness about the hazards of drinking and driving influenced legislation as we know it to be in effect today. Today, DUI can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony offense depending on the facts surrounding the case. If you have been arrested for DUI, contact an Atlanta DUI lawyer from the Law Office of Matthew T. McNally to protect your legal rights.

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