Ads for a certain slim cigarette aimed at women once crowed, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” In short, smoking was seen as twisted liberation for women. Sadly, the same is now true for drinking alcohol.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the percent of women arrested for DUI is increasing, while the percent of male DUI arrests drops. Men are still far more prone to DUI or DWI arrest — by almost a four-to-one ratio –  but in a changing world where women face increased pressures on economic fronts as their husbands lose jobs, and sometimes a tendency to behave like “the boys,” more and more women are stressed, driving cars and doing so while drunk.

And what’s worse, many are doing so with kids in tow.

A notorious recent DUI accident involved Diane Schuler, a New York woman whose drunk driving caused eight deaths, including her own, when she went the wrong way on a freeway. Among the dead were her 2-year-old daughter and her three nieces. Schuler was found to be drunk — yet her husband was unaware she had an alcohol problem.

Experts say this stems in part from the fact that women are more prone to drink alone or to mask alcoholism. At the same time, they’re behaving more recklessly and driving more often — while even getting behind the wheel with kids in the car. That is “the ultimate form of child abuse,” says Chuck Hurley, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

If a family member or someone you know — of either sex — has a problem with drinking, and that problem extends to driving, try steering them toward help as soon as possible. Organizations such as MADD are a good place to start. Don’t let a pile of wreckage be a bad place to end.

Jim S. Adler & Associates ardently supports MADD and stands ready to help those injured in a drunk driving car accident.

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