FORT NOVOSEL, Ala. -- April is Alcohol Awareness month, an annual campaign aimed at bringing awareness to the dangers of alcohol misuse.

Let’s take a look at the potential harm to others involved in drunk driving.

Every day, about 32 people die in drunk driving accidents, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s about one person every 45 minutes. In 2020, 11,654 people died from alcohol-related accidents. In Alabama, between 2009-2018, 2,608 people died from alcohol-related accidents.

Alcohol is a substance that reduces the function of the brain, impairing thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination. All these abilities are essential to operating a vehicle safely. A person's alcohol level is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood. This is called Blood Alcohol Concentration.

At a BAC of .08 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood, crash risk increases exponentially. Because of this risk, it’s illegal in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.

The greatest percentage of drunk drivers are:

* 27% between age 21 to 24; and

* 25% between age 25 to 34.

For these reasons, alcohol-related education is important. The Army Substance Abuse Program provides basic education regarding alcohol use and misuse to everyone through the Prime for Life program. This educational course is provided free of charge to all Soldiers that have had an alcohol-related incident and is offered on a space-available basis to others who may have an interest. It is a two-day course that provides information on the short-term impairment problems and the health effects of long-term alcohol use.

For more information, call 334-255-7508.