Sunday, April 6, 2008

Teens with Celebrity attitudes on DUI consequences

So it’s obvious that teen drinking is getting way out of hand but it’s worse when the driver is drunk. Teenagers can only handle so much alcohol, and since they received their lisences not too long ago (in most cases) they are a disaster waiting to happen while driving impaired. Even though many are aware of the results that they can end up with, they still shrug it off while thinking it couldn’t ever happen to them or that they are “skilled” drivers and know what they are doing. And not only are they being ignorant about it but they are also witnessing news reports that have celebrities abusing drunk driving. Once it seems that the celebrity can get out of their problems and charges so easily, that attitude is adopted by teenagers as well. Since the media only gives us a small amount of information on the charges that are set they believe that it’s no big deal, and that they can get away with it just as easy as the celebrity did. But they’re wrong!

Everything is easier said than done, or dealt with, so let’s take a look at Hollywood’s Hall of Shame. Socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie stirred up some drama when charged with a DUI, but it looks like Paris got more attention. She was given 36 months probation and 45 days in jail. Apparently she didn’t receive any special treatment and her "45" day sentence was held in a county jail, so nothing too fancy. But, it turns out that the heiress was released from prison only after serving THREE days! Instead they put her on house arrest and due to her “good behaviour” she only had to finish off 23 more days. THAT is really grabbing the attention of teenagers who drink, Paris didn’t make it look easy but she most definitely didn’t let those three days in a cell teach her something. Even though Paris admitted she broke the law, she only calmed down for a couple of months after she was charged, but its obvious she still parties like crazy. Oh, and I just love how her entire experience was glorified by her fans!I still don’t think it was enough, BIG DEAL if she was sobbing and not eating, that’s not the worst that can happen and since so many teenagers see that they are very ignorant about the consequences. Nicole Richie was caught driving the wrong way on the Burbank highway in Southern California. Nicole had been charged with a DUI twice and she wasn’t getting off easy either. BUT there was no breathalyzer test involved because she only admitted to smoking marijuana and taking Vicodin. She is also only 85 lbs and 5’1, so even if she wasn’t drunk any substance can take over her body in a small amount of time.

That’s also another thing teens don’t understand; their brains and bodies are still developing they can’t handle a lot of alcohol, but they also don’t realise that it applies for celebrities too, just because they have millions to get them out of prison does not mean the same will apply for an average person. Even if you’re loaded you STLL have to serve the time sentenced. It’s so sad to see that no one is in shock anymore when they hear of all the DUI’s that were given to celebrities. So money might not be the only issue here, sure you can damage the fender bender and maybe knock over a lamppost or two and have to pay for it, but what about the fact that your life is at stake, and not just yours but someone elses too.I find it pretty scary to know that 3 in every 10 Americans will experience an alcohol related crash, and that’s only the American population. Canada isn’t any better, there are 3.4-4.1 deaths due to impaired driving everyday. It’s also sad to say that I know people who died or have been injured due to impaired driving. No one should be handling this subject lightly, there are REAL consequences. Celebrities don’t care if they lose thousands for bail or spend time in jail because they are aware of the attention they will be getting once they are released. All of these celebs made DUI’s a trend, it’s disgusting.

Ontario DUI laws:
First DUI results in a $600 fine
Second DUI results in 14 days in jail
Third DUI results in a minimum of 90 days
more can be found here

Mel Gibson’s DUI:


Paris Hilton on Larry King trying clean up her reputation:



Teen Vogue Teen’s DUI article:

Pt. 1

Pt. 2



Best ad I've seen so far.

26 comments:

Sonya!AtTheDisco said...

of course there are consequences when teenagers drink and drive. its not safe for anyone on the road. those statics "3.4-4.1 deaths due to impaired driving everyday" i think thats whack! In our school we have about 1500 students so if 4 died everyday that would take about a year to kill everyone off.... scary.. If you cant do the time dont do the crime! =]

чℓℓzล said...

thats true there is consequences . -----Young drivers -- 19 to 24-year-olds -- continue to have the highest rates for impaired driving, representing 56 per cent of all reported criminal incidents. Rates level off and remain relatively constant as drivers get older -- seniors had the lowest rates--- this was from 2003. i still think these statisitcs have not changed today and its ashame that young people risk their whole life and others lives for one ride.

mal =) said...

i dont get why people would think they should drive drunk.

On New Year's there are always tv commercials promoting people to take the bus or to call a cab when going home. They keep the public transit running longer on these specific events which is a good start to people not risking their lives. There are also those other commercials --like MADD which also try to send the message not to drink and drive.

mal =) said...

PS; wow that ad was good on your post.(the last one about the prom night)

Mr. A. Puley said...

You're all missing the point of this blog....do celebrities influence the actions of teens and those that look up to them as role models. Look for the proof - personal opinions are not enough.

Anonymous said...

I heard paris hilton was let out because she had a panic attack... oh well.

DUI's- your 16 or older when you actually drive. Sure, Celebs can infuence people, but at age 16 and up, right from wrong should come naturally.

Kayce said...

I do believe that drinking and driving of not only young teenagers but from every age group in general has gotten out of hand. It isn't right and it's not fair to not only risk your life but risk the lives of many others. Personally I know many people that have lost their license due to a DUI and I know 2 people that have died due to drunk driving.

However when it comes to the celebrities, personally I'm not affected by it. Just because I see them get away with DUI's and what not doesn't make me think for one second that it's okay. I don't think as many people as you think see it as okay, and that hey if they get away with it, well then it's completely fine! If you ask every individual in this school, not even 90% of the school would be like yeah, it's okay, Paris got away with it. That's just dumb to even think that. And in most cases people will even just say oh yeah, I think it's okay, just for attention from other people, but really half them don't even mean it. People do that all the time even in media class. So is relation to the celebrity cases, I just don't 100% agree with what you're saying, I'm not saying I completely disagree, I just think that's not really correct.

tanja said...

actually, now that all of us are starting to drive i've noticed that all the people i have talked to totally agreed that driving drunk is sometihng they would NEVER do.

today i was even talking to a friend who told me he drove home drunk once, and that he's stupid for doing so and that he never would again because it's different, you really can't concentrate at all.

so even though he tried it.. he now can see that he's an idiot for doing so in the first place, but at least now he can spread his good advice on to other friends on his experience


i don't think celebrities really influence teen driving.. i think it just causes us to hate them even more
i rememebr once i was reading a magazine and it was talking about conversation starters
and it said that subconsciously we love when celebrities mess up because we want them to seem more human, more like us.. and not seem so special. so when they mess up, and then get let off the hook, we basically just hate them for it, not idolize it.

RhinoGearz said...

I personally think it's really dumb to look up to celebrities. What makes them better than anyone else? A lot of teenagers, adults and even some kids, idolize celebrities way too much. If they look up to celebrities then they'll start to mimic the celebrity's behaviour. Imitating Paris Hilton's reckless drinking and driving is just one of the ways celebrities influence people. I honestly can't believe that she was released from jail in just three days. This is a horrible message being sent to fans. It will make them think that they'll be able to handle themselves if they do what Paris Hilton is doing.

While reading this blog post I kept wondering what DUI meant, but luckily it came to me. Celebrities should be treated just the way everyone else is treated. They should not be able to cry or buy their way out of trouble. It's not entirely their fault, but they're not helping people. Jane said the Paris Hilton was released because she had a panic attack. Even if she got a panic attack I don't she should have been freed. I doubt that a regular person would have been let out.

Sonya!AtTheDisco said...

personally i wont get influenced by people like paris hilton or the other one because really i dont care about their lives. I think there are some people like me who dont care but then again she a role model even if she doesnt want to be.

Anonymous said...

I agree that drinking and driving has gotten way out of hand. And especially when people are getting their licenses at 16, the legal drinking age is 19 and there are still people underage drinking and driving, which is even worse!

Many people that I have asked all say the same thing, "I would never drive drunk, that's so stupid". And it is but people still do it.

I don't really think celebrities like Paris Hilton influence us to do these things. It just makes us mad that she didn't get what she deserved for DUI. Three days in jail and she gets let out? She shouldn't get any special treatment, she committed the same thing many other people have done, and they all suffered the consequences, why doesn't she have to? If it was anyone else they probably wouldn't have been let out of jail.

Here's a page of statistics i found on drunk driving: http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html

Taylor mac said...

if your old enough and mature enough too drive and your parents let you drive then you should be a respectable peson that wont drink and drive its so selfish!! if you dont care enough about your own life not too do it then think about the other people that are effected the innocent people just driving

Taylor mac said...

i dont think that celebs influence people to drink and drive becouse it isnt shown as something cool on t.v like yeah its on the news that they are doing it but look at the ones that are its people like paris hilton and britney spears alot of people dont look up too them and the ones that do should understand that drinking and driving isnt something fun too do

mal =) said...

It's sad that after Paris get arrested and such for driving drunk, she still obviously did not get the message on how dangerous it is because on this site--

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14712866/

--Paris says "it was nothing". She even thinks that "everything [she] does is blown out of proportion, and it reallly hurts [her] feelings"

So technically, she thinks that what she did was not even that bad..it also means that her punishment of house arrest didn't exactly do much.

People see Paris Hilton getting away with just a slap on the hand for something as serious as drinking and driving, which could risk not only her life..but others as well.

If she can get away with it, why can't anyone else?

Anonymous said...

I didn't say I agreed with her realize, I simply stated a point, read it before you split your pants...
Anyway, The reason she gets away with it, is money and fame. Thats what I beleive. But I also asked a couple people like Kelsey, and they said drinking and driving was stupid and pointless.
Therefore, it's all about choices. If your gonna be stupid, and drink, then drive, then your stupid. Celebrities can't change that.

чℓℓzล said...

i would have to agree with th all the people that said that celebs dont really infulence drunk driving, they can get out of jail and suff easier then us,but that just makes you realize that they arent living the life you are, if you were to driving drunk and got into an accident you would feel guilty especially if someone got hurt, so i also believe that drunk driving is a personal choice

RhinoGearz said...

What mal said annoys me. How can you possibly say that drinking and driving is nothing? That kind of attitude is something a lot of fans will gain. I think that anything anybody does has the potential to influence another person. Think about that. There are some people that are really susceptible to being influenced.

Anonymous said...

How could Paris say "it was nothing"?! Drinking and Driving is extremely dangers and it kills many innocent people. "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that ... 16,000 people are killed annually. due to drunk and drugged driving." " Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and nonfatally injure someone every two minutes." During 2005, 16,885 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, representing 39% of all traffic-related deaths."
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drving.htm
Those are just some facts i found. If drinking and driving is "nothing" then why is it killing 39% of all traffic related deaths. Clearly it isn't nothing it is something that should be stopped. What Paris is saying could influence some people to think the same and think there is nothing wrong with drinking and driving. So before someone gets into the driver's seat of a car after they have been drinking they should think of how many lives will be at stake.

Nickie said...

This topic is something I really feel strongly about. I have been lucky and haven't had any family members who have drank and drove, although I can't say that the celebrities don't influence anyone to NOT go drink and drive. It's true, Celebrities DO do stupid things, we're all human aren't we? But why should they have so much power over what young drivers do? Now, I can't say I have ever been influenced by Paris Hilton to go drink and drive, but I really would like to know what kids see and what sets the lightbulb off in their heads to go do it, it's the most idiotic thing I have ever seen! As for her having a nervous breakdown and getting out of jail...now THAT was just the single most anger-ific thing I have ever seen! (Anger-ific meaning it made me really mad)If we were all to go to jail, would we be able to get out simply be crying? I don't think so, so why should she be any different? Because she has money? BIG DEAL! who cares how rich her father/grandfather were, does that honestly make ANY difference in her wrong doing? the way I see it, she broke the law (imagine the word 'law' broken in half) and Paris fixed the broken law with her money.(now imagina that broken law with what looks like a bandage of money around the break, sealing it bac together) I don't think that law's can be 'fixed', so why did she get out so easily? This was also seen by many, many, MANY teens who are at the driving and under-age drinking age, so they think that if SHE can get out of jail, why not them? One thing they don't realize is that DRINKING + DRIVING = DEATH! So if they were to drink and drive, and by some miracle went to jail, they wouldn't be getting out because they arent as famous as Paris, and then they pay for it. One thing I would really like to know is why, oh WHY, aren't there stricter laws against drinking and driving for youths?

~Nickie

].Λ. said...

Taylor's comment, "i don't think that celebs influence people to drink and drive because it isn't shown as something cool on t.v" That's not true. Celebs might not directly influence ppl to drink and drive or do anything else, but they are a factor of encouragement. Nowadays, what celebs do and how they do it is everywhere: magazines, entertainment shows and even the news. They've become ppl who set standards of "cool." So when a celebrity is out there drinking and driving, it's true that many ppl aren't gunna say, ya let's go drink and drive because paris hilton is doing it, but when they are in a situation where they are drunk and have to make the decision of whether they should drive or not, many might just choose to drive because they'll be thinking , what's the big deal? All those “cool” celebs have done it and nothing has happened to them so why not, I can do it too. Many ppl would find it easier to just drive home rather than call someone or get a taxi or w/e, so they'll talk themselves into it. With all those examples of celebs having had nothing happen to them when drinking and driving, it might seem to many ppl that there's not much danger.

And to answer Nick's qusetion, “why, oh WHY, aren't there stricter laws against drinking and driving for youths?” THERE ARE pretty strict rules: demerit points, fine, jail time. What other rules do we really need? When ppl are already drunk, the first thing on their mind usually isn't the consequences of the police finding out that they're drinking and driving. So I really don't think that strict laws are the solution in this case.

Harinder said...

I believe that celebrities somewhat influence the actions of teens and other people who look up to them as role models. Though it is up to the person to make the decision of whether or not to drink and drive. I think celebrities live their lives without worrying much because of their fame, but it is up to us to live ours according to what we want. Paris Hilton should have served more then THREE DAYS. Also putting her on house arrest because of her “good behavior” is completely ridiculous. The idea of “being good” in jail can cross teen minds. Teens may think that even if they get charged and go to jail they can have a good behavior in jail and get away with it much quicker. Reality is that chances are that it won’t be so easy for people who aren’t rich and famous. For example, other people have been charged with DUI and suffered worse consequences.
We are people who are trying to make our lives successful, so I don’t think it is right to compare ourselves to celebrities. If a teenager were charged for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the case would not be all over newspapers like the cases of celebrities. Instead, we would have to go to court and pay our charges, which can be very costly.
So, it is important to make good decisions and NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE because you won’t get away with it as quick as Paris did.

Link I found on Alcohol-Crash stats
http://www.safety-council.org/info/traffic/impaired/stats.html

Link on Charges of DUI
http://www.totaldui.com/dui_articles_cost_of_dui_conviction.htm
Media and Drinking
http://youtube.com/watch?v=b6gU9DdiTf4


Scriven, Avanti. How celebrities influence teens. Mar 23, 2007. Online Article.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/179765/how_celebrities_influence_teenagers.html?cat=2

].Λ. said...

Here are some stats:
“A report in the May 21, 2006 issue of USA Weekend revealed that 60 percent of teens wanted to get a tattoo or piercing in the same place a celebrity has one. Half of them agreed that their peers smoke or drink because they see their idols doing it and 77 percent think that after a star loses weight, teenagers are likely to do the same.”
http://www.sheboygan-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/SHE04/801160351/1097/SHElife

These are all some big numbers and it all just proves how much teens are influenced by celebrities. So it's hard to say that many teens aren't gunna have any of the same attitudes as celebrities when it comes to drinking and driving.

so, unless the media hype about celebrities decreases, i don't think much can actually change on its own.

Matt Dean said...

i think that celebrities do not influence most teens to drink and drive because why risk your life for this. but there are people when they are drunk cannot think straight and end up getting into a car and driving into a tree or pole or if they're lucky enough home without nothing happening(not very good odds though).

Matt Dean said...

Celebrities need to get harsher sentences just like the real "normal" people do. it would prevent them from doing this again...(hopefully) and get them less attention and making this glorified.

... said...

So true Aleks. So many teens think they’ll never get punished for what they do, I have to say I think that way sometimes as well. Not to the extent that I would be so stupid to drink and drive, but ive had my moments.

“A driver charged with vehicular homicide, the unlawful killing of a person with a motor vehicle, can be tried for murder and imprisoned,” says Sandra Mariscal. I honestly believe if someone makes the mistake of drinking and driving and kills someone in this act of their stupidity they should be tried for murder. I strongly believe actors and actresses are not giving a good impression on how to act, or how to be “cool”. But teens need to wake up and realize actors and actresses are people and will slip up just like everyone else, but almost always will get away with what they did.

Love the prom night add. Its so true.

Simonse says "the influence of partying, of alcohol, again these things have to be kept in balance and the problem is very often they're not. They're just seeing the continued partying." I here about underage celebrities going to parties and drinking, and I think it must be a awesome lifestyle. But Im not influenced by celebrities to drink. I do think that younger kids can be influenced enough to follow what a celebrity does.

Celebrities are idolized, you can see at concert or on TV that people are in tears when they see a celebrity, so if people can cry over them, what makes you think some people wouldn’t do some thing that their idol did.

OMG those stats are insane javariyya. Like I would never think so many people would be influenced to do so many things because of celebrities. But these stats show that many people would probably drink and drive because of celebrities.

... said...

“‘Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars
And live in hilltop houses, drivin’ fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We’ll all stay skinny cause we just won’t eat.” (http://www.metrolyrics.com/rockstar-lyrics-nickelback.html)this is the chorus of Rockstar by nickleback. The lyrics tell how an average guy doesnt like the way his life turned out and wants to live the life of a rockstar.

i dont think this song is giving a good impression of celebrities but also is kinda gloriffying them at the same time. its an odd song that may make someone want to be or not be a rockstar.