A recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that drunk driving has declined in recent years in Washington and throughout much of the country. However, the CDC is recommending that state legislatures and law enforcement agencies take additional action to deter and prevent drunk driving, some of which could end up adding significant financial costs to be paid by those convicted of DUI offenses.

According to the report, about four million Americans admit to driving under the influence of alcohol. Given those numbers, the CDC estimates that alcohol-impaired drivers were operating vehicles on U.S. roads approximately 112 million times last year. That number represents a 30 percent decline since 2006.

However, CDC Director Thomas Frieden states that any occurrence of drunk driving is one too many. "One out of three fatal motor vehicle crashes is related to drunk driving," he said. "Nearly 11,000 such deaths each year."

To reduce the number of DUI fatalities in the U.S., the CDC is recommending that states increase the number of sobriety checkpoints run by state police departments. In addition, the CDC is asking state legislatures to pass laws that would require anyone who is convicted of drunk driving to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.

The interlock program requires convicted offenders to blow into a device and register a blood alcohol level under the legal limit before their car will start. Generally, the court requires offenders to cover the installation and maintenance costs of the devices, which can cost several thousands of dollars. In Washington, such laws already exist, and even first-time DUI offenders can be required to install the devices in their vehicles.

Source: WebMD, "4 Million in U.S. Admit Drunk Driving," Daniel J. DeNoon, Oct. 4, 2011