More than a million drivers were arrested on driving under the influence charges in 2006 – one of the highest DUI arrest rates in U.S. history.

Of that million, 93 were arrested in Coles County.

This number has progressively decreased in the last two years, with the number falling to 58 in 2007 and only 17 so far in 2008.

Kenneth Pollum, patrolman at the Charleston Police Department, said drivers involved in these cases represent a cross section of the Charleston community: a mix of both students and community members.

DUI case are more frequently seen during the weekend and the days preceding it, he said.

University Police Chief Adam Due said these are the days when his department sees the most drunken driving cases as well.

If a UPD officer makes a DUI arrest, the offender will either make bail or be transferred to the county jail.

For either force, spotting an intoxicated driver is not easy.

“We can’t just look at a vehicle and tell if there is a drunk driver behind the wheel,” he said.

Pollum said there are a variety of indicators that are used to determine the sobriety level of a driver, the most obvious of which is erratic driving patterns.

While there have been recent DUI cases in Coles County, Pollum said the number of those cases has decreased.

Though he could not say for sure, Pollum said the decreases may be linked to anti-drunken driving programs and advertisements, which are regularly presented to drivers.

Brenda Sprague, a certified counselor in addiction and gambling, believes these kinds of educational programs and messages help.

Sprague, who works at the Walter DUI and Counseling Services in Charleston, said she especially likes the recent buzzed-driving commercials on air because they show that any combination of alcohol and driving can result in disaster.

“Even after having one drink, your brain is affected,” Sprague said. “Driving under the influence is driving under the influence.”

These buzzed-driving commercials, she said, showcase how a person does not have to be stumbling drunk to be unable to drive. One drink can be enough to cause an accident or arrest.

Sprague counsels people who have been arrested for DUI and are now in treatment to satisfy court requirements or to help overcome an addiction to alcohol.

A DUI conviction can be devastating to a person’s life, especially students and those who live in rural areas like Charleston. Often, rural-dwellers rely on their driver’s licenses to get to vital places like work or school.

Men are more affected by the loss of their license because they often play the role of breadwinner for the family and need the license to get to work to make money, Sprague said. Women respond more to the threat of losing custody of children because of a drinking problem than to the threat of losing their license.

She believes the current drunken-driving laws are effective, though she does expect them to get stricter – not necessarily because they punish offenders, but because they can help those in need.

“The laws are good in the sense that they are getting people into treatment,” Sprague said.

She said many of who come into Walter DUI and Counseling Services participate in one-on-one as well as group counseling sessions to help overcome the sorrow that goes along with a DUI.

These groups help DUI offenders get past the depression that can be suicidal in some cases, associated with such a conviction.

Sprauge said many feel ashamed and alone after they are arrested, and these groups help them realize they are not alone.

Though her counseling center does cater to DUI offenders, Sprague said the center helps anyone with a problem with addiction Many she serves are community members and students who have not had trouble with the law.

“You don’t have to get arrested to get help,” she said.

Students are especially vulnerable to alcohol addiction because of the drinking atmosphere in college. Students often fail to realize drinking can sometimes be the beginning of a very serious lifetime of problems, Sprague said.

She compared such a problem with addiction to cancer: The earlier an addiction is caught, the easier it will be to conquer it.

Any who think they have a problem with alcohol or drugs should seek help from any of the counseling services in Charleston.

Walter DUI and Counseling Services is located at 1550 Douglas St., Suite 115, in Charleston and can be reached at 348-3847.

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Centers in Charleston:

Alcoholism Information & Treatment Centers: Family Outpatient DUI

(217) 348-8118

Walter DUI and Counseling Services

1550 Douglas St # 115

(217) 348-3847

Central East Alcohol and Drug Council

635 Division St.

(217) 348-8108

Jordan Crook can be reached at 581-7495 or at jscrook@eiu.edu.