Salud y Saludos

Making the Right Choice

By now, you may have heard of a new project the Hispanic advocacy organization, El Pueblo, is leading. With funding and support from the Governor's Highway Safety Program and the State Highway Patrol, the organization is hoping a $250,000 campaign emphasizing the repercussions of drunk driving will make a dent on the sobering statistics.

According to a survey conducted by the organization, 83 percent of the 900 Hispanic men polled didn't know the penalty for a DWI; 50 percent didn't know the state's legal blood-alcohol limit, which is .08; while 44 percent had been arrested for a DWI after drinking and driving.

These kinds of statistics may be what have caused Latinos to account for 19 percent of DWI charges last year, even though they make up only about 7 percent of the state's population, according to published reports of the state's Administrative Office of the Courts.

The multi-pronged approach to curbing these numbers will involve a media campaign, with special focus on trying to educate the Latino public about the consequences of drinking and driving. Soon, the logo “Manejar Borracho? No Seas Tonto Muchacho!” (Drive drunk? Don’t be a fool, man!) will be visible throughout the community. In addition, efforts to crack down on drunk drivers through DWI checkpoints will also be stepped up.

Much of this work is necessary to try and modify the cultural aspects that undoubtedly play a role in the higher numbers of Hispanic drunk drivers. For starters, immigrants coming from Latin American countries are often subjected to abuses by state police. In many cases, the police are incredibly corrupt. When I lived in Costa Rica for a while, my father would always carry what he called “dinero para un café.” Basically, he carried with him enough money to buy a cop a decent cup of coffee. He knew that could get police off his back if they stopped him for something minor. This was, by no means, seen as a grave offense in that culture. It was completely routine; it was just part of the game. And the population accepted it simply as a way of life. Mind you, we’re talking about a country which is recognized to be among one of the more developed Latin nations. But even here, this was a way of life.

It should then come as no surprise that police officers and troopers sometimes face the possibility of Latinos trying to bribe them. If you’re coming from a country where this is openly accepted—and you haven’t been here long enough to learn ALL the many ins and outs of the laws of the new culture—issues like this will arise. Luckily, the State Highway Patrol has recently recruited a full-time Hispanic liaison who is traveling the state teaching other fellow troopers what kinds of cultural differences may surface during encounters with this community. This same trooper is also trying to teach Latinos that the laws are very different in this country...and the enforcement of those laws is also a far stricter matter.

Meanwhile, El Pueblo’s campaign will come at a good time to help in the acculturation process. By continuing to get the word out to the people who are committing these mistakes and, of course, breaking the law in the process, the organization hopes their messages will hit home. By emphasizing the particular laws, along with the deluge of penalties and negative outcomes, as well as dispelling any notions that it may be macho to understate your inebriation...these organizations hope to teach Latinos and others to make the right choice. Leave the car behind. And find a ride!

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Last Modified: July 12, 2006