The statistics concerning alcoholism in Nevada are bleaker than ever. Although the state of Nevada offers a wide choice of available alcohol rehabs, a person can quickly become overwhelmed in the face of these many alcohol treatment options. There are alcohol rehab programs in Nevada that provide residential inpatient care, and short term alcohol rehab which is generally around 30 days. There are also 12-step based programs and holistic alcohol treatment, just to name a few.

In an outpatient alcohol rehab , the individual from Nevada that is being treated for an alcohol addiction will visit the rehab center at various intervals on several days of the week for a specific number of hours. Many people from Nevada specifically choose outpatient alcohol rehab in order to be able to remain close to home, but often times this can be a recipe for disaster. Very few individuals from Nevada that have struggled with a moderate to severe alcohol addiction can benefit long-term from such a limited amount of alcohol rehabilitation. In a residential alcohol rehab program, the individual from Nevada will have the benefit of living full time at the treatment facility. With this intense level of alcohol rehabilitation, professional support is available 24 hours a day.

The first step in a quality alcohol rehab program in Nevada is the alcohol detoxification; this process is utilized in treatment in order to safely manage the health risks associated with quitting alcohol abuse. After detox has successfully been completed, an individual from Nevada can then begin to focus on the other vital components of the alcohol rehab program; these elements of alcohol rehabilitation may include counseling, group classes, behavior modification techniques, and drug relapse prevention. The main goal of any quality alcohol rehab program should be to enable the individual from Nevada to successfully achieve a state of long term abstinence.

Nevada 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. Nevada had a whopping 68% of all fatalities that were alcohol related in 1982. While the number of traffic fatalities and miles driven has increased in the last twenty years, the percentage of those fatalities that were alcohol related has decreased. In 2008, out of all traffic fatalities, 33% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.

The table below shows the total number of traffic fatalities (Tot) for the Nevada, 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 Nevada 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 Nevada drunk driving statistics, as shown below, include data from individuals in Nevada 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.

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 Nevada?

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

Penalties for Drunk Driving in Nevada

• A first-time offender in Nevada faces up to six months in jail or up to 96 hours of community service while dressed in distinctive garb that identifies the offender as a violator of Nevada's DUI laws. A first-time offender is also subject to a fine ranging from $400 to $1,000. These offenders must also pay for and attend a Nevada education course on alcohol abuse. The driver's license revocation period is 90 days. First-time offenders with a BAC of .18 or greater will be placed in an alcohol treatment facility for up to one year.
• A person in Nevada who commits a second DUI within seven years of the first conviction faces up to six months in jail or six months in residential confinement, which is the equivalent of house arrest. These offenders are also subject to pay a fine between $750 and $1,000 or perform an equivalent numbers of hours of community service while dressed in distinctive garb that identifies the offender as having violated Nevada's DUI laws. Second-time offenders in Nevada will also be placed in a Nevada alcohol treatment facility for up to one year. The driver's license revocation period is one year.
• A person in Nevada who commits a third DUI within a seven-year period faces one to six years in prison and must pay a fine of $2,000 to $5,000. The driver's license revocation period is three years.

Civil Penalty

Those in Nevada convicted of DUI in Nevada are required to pay a $35 civil penalty to the state.

Ignition Interlock

A judge may order a person convicted of DUI for the first or second time to use an ignition interlock device for three to six months after driving privileges are restored if the offender's BAC was less than .18. Use of an ignition interlock device, however, is mandatory in Nevada for a period of 12 to 36 months after restoration of driving privileges in the following three situations: (1) where the offender has a BAC of .18 or greater; (2) where the offense is the third DUI violation in seven years; and (3) where the offender has a BAC of .08 or greater and causes death or serious bodily injury to another person.

Commercial Drivers

In addition to other penalties that may apply under Nevada's DUI laws, a commercial driver who is convicted of DUI while operating any vehicle will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for one year. If, however, the offender was driving a commercial vehicle and transporting hazardous materials at the time, the disqualification period is three years. If a commercial driver in Nevada commits 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 a period of 10 years.

Drivers Under 21

If a person under 21 in Nevada commits a DUI with a BAC of .02 but less than .08, that person will receive a mandatory driver's license suspension of 90 days. Underage DUI offenders are also required to undergo an evaluation to determine whether the offender is an abuser of alcohol. The offender can be charged up to $100 for the evaluation. Nevada law also permits drivers under 21 to be prosecuted and punished for DUI under the laws applicable to drivers 21 and older.

Criminal Penalties in Nevada for Selling or Furnishing Alcohol to a Person Under 21

In Nevada, it is a crime to sell or furnish alcohol to a person under 21. Those who violate this law are subject to a jail term of up to six months and payment of a fine of up to $1,000. In lieu of all or part of this punishment, a judge may order the offender to perform community service work for up to 200 hours.