Wasting no time in deciding that driving conditions will be greatly worsened by Hurricane Sandy, Delaware Governor Jack Markell ordered statewide “Level Two” driving restrictions beginning at 5am this morning. These restrictions will remain in place, and possibly be further increased, as the storm makes landfall. Once forecasters give the all-clear, and flooded streets return to normal, it is likely the restrictions will be lifted.

In case you don’t know what Delaware state “Level Two” driving restrictions are, here’s a breakdown:

“‘Level 2 Driving Restriction’ provides that no person shall operate a motor vehicle on Delaware roadways other than essential personnel. ‘Essential personnel’ includes those employees necessary to maintain the core functions of government and maintain health and safety by providing utility services, healthcare services, and food and fuel deliveries. In addition, some private employers have received a waiver from the Delaware Emergency Management Agency for essential employees.”

Unless your employer has received a waiver (which they will produce for you) you have no business driving to work. Or to school. Or to the grocery store. Or to your friend’s house. Unless you are in the midst of an actual emergency there simply is no reason to be driving around Delaware today.

The problem facing drivers in Delaware today, and for hundreds of miles around the state in all directions, is the unpredictable nature of Hurricane Sandy and its effects. Roads might become flooded–not just roads prone to flooding but roads which have never flooded before. Power lines might come down, trees might shatter in the wind and despite the heavy rainfall there is a very real possibility of fires as emergency crews find themselves taxed to the limit.

Want to know whether or not your local Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles branch has a long line? Or want to know which brake inspection lane has the shortest wait? Before you climb into your car and go find out firsthand, consider a trip to the Delaware DMV web site and check out their live video feed.

That’s right, the Delaware DMV offers several assorted live video feeds through its web site which show you activity in license branches and vehicle inspections sites around the state. So far the cities of Wilmington, New Castle, Dover and Georgetown are covered. Visitors to the web site can tune in to Vehicle Inspections Lanes for brake and safety & emissions tests. They also provide live feed for the Drivers License and Titles & Registration waiting areas so you know whether or not your local branch is busy.

Defensive drivers understand the importance of making certain their vehicles are in excellent condition and meet all state motoring requirements. You can be the best driver in the world but if your vehicle fails on you, there is not much you can do about it. Having your vehicle properly inspected is also the best way to avoid a citation for violating a vehicle requirement. This might not add points to your license but the fines can add up quickly and it might cost you your license if you don’t get it fixed before you get stopped again.

Delaware is a relatively small state so wiring their license branches for live video feeds isn’t as difficult as it might be in a state like California or Texas, but the fact that they went the extra mile to provide this service for their residents certainly goes a long way toward recognizing the needs of the people they serve.

How many hours of your life have you spent waiting in a long line at the driver’s license office or vehicle inspection line? In Delaware, they try to keep those hours to a minimum.

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A proposed designated driver program in southern Delaware is seeking corporate sponsors to help fund the fledgling non-profit group.

A Sussex County woman, Terry Rogers, is forming the Delaware chapter of “Will Be Designated Driver” in order to supplement resources available to help people who have had too much to drink find a safe and sober ride home.

Rogers, whose son and his mother were killed by a drunk driver, said she is starting the chapter in southern Delaware because there are few taxis and no public transportation in the area.

According to the Delaware State Police Annual Traffic Statistical Report, almost 40 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2010 were caused by a drunk driver. With the remoteness of southern Delaware and lack of public transportation, Rogers says the area is perfect for this type of program.

We like to have a little fun at My Improv Traffic School, but the reality is drunk driving is no laughing matter. After distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is the number one cause of traffic fatalities around the nation. In rural Delaware, where roads become slick and icy in the winter and drivers are often on desolate rural roads between towns, drunk driving is a recipe for disaster.

Rogers hopes she can have the “Will Be Designated Driver program up and running before Memorial Day weekend. She estimates she needs about $30,000 to get the program started.

The “Will Be Designated Driver” program will offer rides home to drunken drivers for just $2 per mile. For an additional $2 per mile they will have another sober designated driver drive the person’s car home as well. “Will Be Designated Drivers” is a not-for-profit group that will take the drunken person home even if they refuse to pay, just to get them off the road and keep the community safer.

Rogers told a local news affiliate that she would like to eventually roll the program out around the state, but expects that would require as many as 10 vans and up to $1 million.

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It took a Delaware drunk driver about 2 minutes to completely destroy her own car, a lamp post, mailbox, a 2012 Mercedes, a 2012 Harley Davidson and an entire home after missing a turn and going off the road.

Police say Jessica Cook, 21, lost control of her car while speeding around a curve on New Granville Road very early Monday morning. Police have also said alcohol was a factor in the crash though Cook’s blood alcohol content has not yet been released. Police say they are still investigating the crash. Cook was not injured, and neither were any occupants in the home, though the county building inspector reported the house is now unfit for habitation because of the damage it sustained.

So, my question is, how many drinks does it take to destroy a home, two cars and a motorcycle, not to mention the lamp post and mailbox?

Drunk driving is about as far from defensive driving as you can possibly get, although distracted driving is even worse when it comes to the likelihood of you having a crash. The fact is, while distracted driving is a case of you not paying attention to what you are doing, driving after having a few drinks means even if you are paying attention your coordination just isn’t up to snuff. So you are more likely to crash.

Studies have shown that just two beers is enough to not only put some people over the limit, it also severely inhibits your ability to react or even think clearly. You are not in control of your senses when you are drunk. That’s what creates an opportunity for embarrassing photos to be taken of you and posted on your friend’s Facebook page. It’s also why you are more likely to crash your car. Although you might think you are perfectly fine, because you are drunk and not thinking clearly, you are wrong about being capable of driving safe.

Being a good defensive driver starts before you ever open the car door. It starts when you realize that you might not be able to drive safely after a few drinks so you arrange for a safe and sober drive home.

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Already this holiday season Delaware has had two deaths attributed to drinking and driving, but the Office of Highway Safety is hoping to make them the only ones.

This year, the OHS has five DUI checkpoints planned for the state, focusing on what they anticipate will be the heaviest traveled areas for New Year’s Eve party revelers in an effort to stop drunk drivers from getting too far. Anyone who is spotted trying to evade a DUI checkpoint will be stopped automatically and could face additional charges for evasion, plus DUI charges (which likely why they tried to evade the checkpoint in the first place.)

You can take a defensive driving course online to get the points off your license when you get a traffic citation, but unfortunately it won’t fix stupid, which is what you must be if you get behind the wheel when you’re anything but sober.

This past Christmas weekend, the OHS arrested 20 people for driving under the influence of alcohol. That’s up slightly from last year when they took 19 people into custody for DUI, and still too high for such a small sate. Last year the state saw 23 people arrested over the New Year’s weekend because of drunk driving, and they hope to curtail that number with the multiple DUI checkpoints and 90 additional “saturation patrols” will be conducted. That means Delaware police will be out in force to make certain everyone enjoys their holiday and gets home safe.

Delaware, being as it is nestled between Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, is often just a crossing point for interstate travel. But out-of-state drivers are not immune to state laws against driving drunk. They aren’t impervious to personal injury as a result of it, either, nor are they blessed with ability to avoid hurting other people as a result of their own stupidity.

Defensive driving is no accident. Drivers need to be aware of their own limitations and the limitations of the person who might be driving next to them. If you’ve had a few drinks, or you plan on having a few drinks, arrange for a safe and sober drive home on your own. It will save you the time and expense of getting a ride to the local jail from the OHS.

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