Another star was just arrested for drunk driving. Why is the message not getting through?
Why is the “don’t drink and drive” message not getting through to celebs? It seems like each week a new actor, singer or reality star has been arrested for driving under the influence. Is it because stars think their celeb status makes them invincible or that law enforcement will look the other way if they somehow do get caught? Or maybe, just like the rest of us, they overestimate their ability to operate a car after having a few drinks.
Rapper Flo Rida is the latest casualty, getting arrested last week in Miami Beach for a DUI and for driving with a suspended license. According to CNN.com, Police pulled over the rapper around 3:30 am after they noticed him driving erratically in his 2008 Bugatti, a car that is estimated to be worth around $1.7 million.
Flo Rida was unable to pass a sobriety test, telling the officers, “I can’t do this. I don’t think I can walk a straight line. I had a few drinks. Let’s do another test. I live on the other side of the bridge. I can make it home.”
Instead of letting him get back behind the wheel, police took the 31-year-old into custody, escorting him to the Miami Beach Police Department for processing. The website TMZ reports that officers told them Flo Rida’s blood alcohol level was a staggering .185, more than twice the legal limit. To make matters worse, the rapper’s license had been suspended for failing to pay a traffic fine.
Celebs and DUIs
With so many celeb arrests for DUI, it may start to just seem like just a right of passage, especially for young Hollywood, but it’s a dangerous trend that often turns deadline. This year, 10,839 people will die in drunk-driving crashes – one every 50 minutes – while drunk driving costs each adult in this country almost $500 per year, according to MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In addition to those sobering statistics, MADD reports that 50 to 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive on a suspended license.
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Tags: Celebrity Alcohol Addiction, Celebrity DUI, drunk driving
