Drunk driving charges often happen when an already intoxicated person is served alcohol. In Myrtle Beach, police say that more people are arrested for a DUI after leaving bars and restaurants than after any other location. Starting on December 8, South Carolina's 15th Judicial Circuit's Alcohol Enforcement Team began to step up enforcement of existing alcohol laws.

According to the South Carolina team, studies show that continuing to serve alcohol to people even after they appeared intoxicated is a widespread problem. An official for Shoreline Behavioral Health Services said that roughly 80 percent of people who are already intoxicated are still served alcohol. State police report that this illegal act has gone largely unenforced in Horry County, despite the study showing its high frequency.

A Michigan study shows the positive effects when authorities enforced laws preventing continued alcohol service to intoxicated people. Drunk driving arrests in Michigan declined more than 8% according to the study when the refusal laws were actively enforced. Even more significantly, after three months bars and restaurants were refusing service to intoxicated patrons, with refusal rates rising from 17.5% to 54.3%.

South Carolina authorities hope to see similar results here. Horry County law enforcement officials intend to work together to enforce the law, which is already on the books. Stepping up enforcement will affect a large number of bars and restaurants in South Carolina's popular Myrtle Beach area.

Tourists and locals alike will be less likely to obtain alcohol if they appear intoxicated. Those that still get charged with a DUI will need to focus their attention on defending themselves. With proper legal representation, DUI offenders have the chance to avoid jail time and extended loss of driving privileges.

Source: WPDE NewsChannel 15, "Police cracking down on bars serving drunk people," Victoria Spechko, Dec. 7, 2011