Alcohol addiction is increasingly becoming more prevalent in the state of Missouri, which is creating the need for a greater number of alcohol rehab programs to be located there. When an individual in Missouri is not ready to admit they have an alcohol addiction problem, they may need their loved ones to intervene and to encourage them to accept the assistance of a quality alcohol rehab. Finding the right type of alcohol rehab can sometimes be a daunting task, as there are various types of treatment programs in Missouri, including 12-step based alcohol rehabilitation, long term, short term, inpatient or outpatient, just to name a few.

One alcohol rehabilitation option is outpatient alcohol rehab. This type of alcohol treatment program will allow the individual from Missouri to be able to attend alcohol treatment classes and to still be able to meet their obligations at home. Another treatment option is a residential alcohol rehab, which will allow the individual from Missouri to reside at the alcohol rehab facility where they will be able to focus solely on their alcohol rehab program. The type of alcohol rehabilitation that an individual receives depends on the severity of their alcohol addiction as well as the resources that are available in and around Missouri.

Alcohol rehabilitation programs generally begin with detoxification (the process of safely managing the physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal), and then move forward into individual or group counseling, as well as skills and training courses to help prepare the individual in treatment for returning home to Missouri to live an alcohol-free lifestyle. The primary goal of any quality alcohol rehab program should be to enable the individual from Missouri to successfully be able to achieve a state of lasting abstinence.

Missouri alcohol related information and statistics are provided by the US Dept. of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Conference of State Legislatures, 2004. Missouri is one of the few states in the US where the number of alcohol related fatalities actually increased after 1982. However, the percentage of alcohol related fatalities went down as the total number of highway fatalities increased. In 2008, out of all traffic fatalities, 32% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.

The table below shows the total number of traffic fatalities (Tot) for the Missouri, alcohol related fatalities (Alc-Rel) and fatalities in crashes where the highest BAC in the crash was 0.08 or above (0.08+). All 50 states in the US now apply two statutory offenses to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The first (and original) offense is known either as driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated/impaired (DWI), or operating while intoxicated/impaired (OWI). This is based upon a Missouri police officer's observations (driving behavior, slurred speech, the results of a roadside sobriety test, etc.) The second offense is called "illegal per se", which is driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher. Since 2002 it has been illegal in all 50 states to drive with a BAC that is 0.08% or higher.

It is important to note that the Missouri drunk driving statistics, as shown below, include data from individuals in Missouri who were in an alcohol-related crash, but not driving a motor vehicle at the time. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines alcohol-related deaths as "fatalities that occur in crashes where at least one driver or non-occupant (pedestrian or bicyclist) involved in the crash has a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) value." The fatality rates shown below refer to the number of people killed in all traffic accidents and, separately, in alcohol related traffic accidents, per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

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Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2003-2004, Office of Applied Studies 2003-2004 and the MADD Official Website statistics 2004

When is a driver considered to be legally drunk in Missouri?

• Non-commercial drivers age 21+ in Missouri are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is .08 or more.
• Drivers of commercial vehicles in Missouri are legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is .04 percent or greater. In Missouri, school bus drivers are commercial drivers.
• Drivers under 21 in Missouri are legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is .02 or more.

Penalties for Drunk Driving in Missouri

• A first-time offender in Missouri faces up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $500. The driver's license revocation period is 30 days, followed by a 60-day period of restricted driving privilege, which would enable the offender to drive to certain places, such as work or school.
• A person in Missouri who commits a second DUI within five years faces up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000. The driver's license revocation period is one year.
• A person in Missouri who commits a third DUI is deemed a "persistent offender" and faces up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. The offender's driver's license will be revoked. Depending on the circumstances surrounding all of the convictions, the offender may or may not be eligible to apply for reinstatement at the expiration of five years after the offender has served time.
• A person in Missouri who commits a fourth DUI is deemed an "aggravated offender" and faces up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. The offender's driver's license will be revoked. Depending on the circumstances surrounding all of the convictions, the offender may or may not be eligible to apply for reinstatement at the expiration of 10 years after the offender has served time.
• A person in Missouri who commits a fifth or subsequent offense is deemed a "chronic offender" and faces five to 15 years in prison. Depending on the circumstances surrounding all of the convictions, the offender may or may not be eligible to apply for reinstatement after serving time.

Ignition Interlock

• For a first DUI in Missouri, the sentencing judge may order the offender to use an ignition interlock device for at least one month after reinstatement of the offender's driver's license.
• For a second offense in Missouri, the offender must use an ignition interlock device for at least one month after reinstatement of the offender's driver's license.
• In cases where a judge is permitted to grant limited driving privileges to a person who is convicted of a second or subsequent DUI in Missouri, the judge must order that the offender use an ignition interlock device on all vehicles he or she operates as a required condition of the limited driving privilege.

Commercial Drivers
In addition to other penalties that may be imposed under Missouri's DUI laws, a commercial driver who commits a first DUI while driving any vehicle will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for at least one year. If, however, the offense was committed while the driver was operating a commercial vehicle and transporting hazardous materials, the disqualification period is at least three years. If a commercial driver in Missouri is convicted of a second DUI while driving any vehicle, the offender will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for life, which may or may not be reduced to 10 years.

Drivers Under 21
In addition to other penalties that may apply, underage DUI offenders in Missouri are required to complete a substance abuse traffic program. Additionally, a driver under 21 who commits a first DUI will receive a driver's license suspension of 90 days. For a second or subsequent offense in Missouri, the driver's license revocation period is one year.

What is Missouri's Dram Shop Law?
Under this law, a cause of action may be brought by or on behalf of any person who has suffered personal injury or death against a licensed Missouri drinking establishment if the establishment knew or should have known that it was serving liquor to a person under 21 or to a visibly intoxicated person. Under this law, however, persons 21 and over who are injured as a result of their own intoxication have no claim against the bar.

Criminal Penalties in Missouri for Selling Alcohol to a Minor
In Missouri, it is a crime for a licensed drinking establishment to sell alcohol to a minor. This crime is punishable in Missouri by a fine ranging from $50 to $1,000, imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, or both.

Criminal Penalties in Missouri for Allowing Minor to Drink
Anyone in Missouri who knowingly allows a minor to drink or fails to stop a minor from drinking or having alcohol in their home commits a crime which is punishable by up to six months in prison, a fine of up to $500, or both. This law does not apply to parents who allow their underage children to drink at home.