Study: Midwest has the worst drunken driving rates

This is not news. Cheeseheads drink like fish

This article and related survey isn't worth the electricity it takes to publish it on the internet. A statistical sampling of roughly 127,000 for the whole United States? What? Ok... the population of the US (according the the US Census) is roughly 303,000,000 (rounded down). That means they sampled .04 of a percent of the population (do the math). The error rate of this survey would be astronomical. In other words, it's garbage. This article was written/published to create hype, sell newspapers, create internet clicks, etc. Another piece of yellow journalism published by the Tribune...

Umm, what about Illinois, where the majority of this papers readers live?

That reminds me, I have to check out the Summerfest schedule! Rockinnnnnn..........

The folks in the mid-west are just the most honest. Also they have long cold winters.

That reminds me, Summerfest is just around the corner, and don't forget Country Thunder Yeeeehaw!

Study: Government wastes money on irrelevent studies.

It kinda goes hand-in-hand that the state that consumes the most beer would also have the most drunk drivers. Ask any Wisconsin college student *lol*

Statistically Irrevelant wrote:

This article and related survey isn't worth the electricity it takes to publish it on the internet. A statistical sampling of roughly 127,000 for the whole United States? What? Ok... the population of the US (according the the US Census) is roughly 303,000,000 (rounded down). That means they sampled .04 of a percent of the population (do the math). The error rate of this survey would be astronomical. In other words, it's garbage. This article was written/published to create hype, sell newspapers, create internet clicks, etc. Another piece of yellow journalism published by the Tribune...

You really need to take a basic stats course. Assuming the other survey methodology is sound, a sample size of 127K is more than enough to yield statistically reliable results for the general population.

The state of Wisconsin and ATT wireless have the same slogan "More bars in more places"

Been There wrote:

It kinda goes hand-in-hand that the state that consumes the most beer would also have the most drunk drivers.

What I find interesting is that the article doesn't make any mention of how they define "under the influence". If the person was not given a definitive test, how would they know they've driven with a BAC of .08 or higher? Seems to me they probably asked something like "Have you driven after having 2 or more drinks?". If that's the case, the person was more than likely not impaired.
This is just another worthless study to be used by MADD to further restrict out freedoms. What's next, all vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock?
I also love how they point out that "in the last decade, the number of impaired drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes has remained relatively stable—from 12,348 in 1996 to 12,491 in 2006."
They make it sound like no headway has been made, but if you consider how many more drivers are on the road, then we've clearly made enough headway.
Quit wasting our tax dollars on this crap...please?!?!?!?

Please be aware this is just more MADD propaganda being released as a scientific study.

This study will be quoted by MADD and AAIM mothers in Illinois as they lobby our legislators to further propagate their goals of prohibition of alcohol.

Remember, MADD wants an ignition interlock on all vehicles within the next 10 years AND BAC levels to drop to .05 (which basically gets you arrested with any measurable amount of a substance in your blood)

Every time you read one of these surveys, your first question should be - HOW DOES THIS SURVEY BENEFIT GROUPS LIKE MADD AND AAIM AND THEIR ABILITY TO GET MORE BAD LAWS PASSED?

Stephen Carr of MADD is already writing a letter to Mike Madigan saying we need ever tougher laws as a result of this survey.

Join the fight against MADD:

www,duiblog.com
www.ridl.us
www.getmadd.com
www.dammdrinker.com

Being complacent will eventually make you a criminal if you consume 1 beer and drive.

You should ask yourself which lobbying groups benefit from this bunch of lies.

MADD and AAIM benefit. MADD's goals are to get ignition interlocks onto every vehicle in the next 10 years.

What better way to achieve that goal other than to have the government throw together a survey filled with lies and half truths and publish it as a scientific study that everyone is driving drunk. What a joke.

MADD also wants legal BAC reduced to .05 in Illinois. That equates to you being arrested for being .02. For those of you that drink 1 beer and then drive, if you wish to be complacent, you will be the next MADD victim.

The only ones benefiting from this survey are these special interest groups that want to make more money from every arrestees.

Google RIDL
Google DUIBLOG
Google GETMADD
Google DAMMDRINKER

I have more fear of these crazed mothers than I ever will of being hit by a drinking driver.

Margie Noverror wrote:

<quoted text>
You really need to take a basic stats course. Assuming the other survey methodology is sound, a sample size of 127K is more than enough to yield statistically reliable results for the general population.

But its still based on self reporting. The results might have as much to do (and to say) about regional taboos against admitting to drinking (and driving) as to how much individuals actually do so.

Margie Noverror wrote:

<quoted text>
You really need to take a basic stats course. Assuming the other survey methodology is sound, a sample size of 127K is more than enough to yield statistically reliable results for the general population.

Margie, there are 1.6m arrestees of DUI annually. What if the survey was done randomly a on sample group of the 4.8m arrestees (MADD victims)over the 3 year period?

I suspect that is where these numbers were pulled from. What person in their right mind would admit breaking the law (especially related to driving and alcohol) in a survey? How did the survey define drunk? 1 beer? 2 beers?

The government imputes the majority of their numbers based on amuch smaller sample. Imputes is just another word for "makes up" to support the goal of the survey.

This study is a crock.

If drinking and driving is illegal, why are there parking lots at bars???

I bet IL would have been higher if there was no CTA

I think the percentage of urban areas would have a huge affect on this study.

I believe this 100%. My mother in-law and my wife's cousin have both been involved in serious accidents because the other driver was driving drunk. Both of these accidents happened in Wisconsin Rapids. I don't know what the chances are of this happening to two family members at different two times, but my guess is normally low unless you are in Wisconsin.

Drunk driving is legal in Wisconsin !!!