When Big Joe Williams recorded his song Brother James in 1937 – a blues song about the death of a drunk driver - it was one of the first expressions of concern about drunk driving, found in popular music.  Search: “Joe Williams youtube Brother James”.

1937 was also a year in which drunk driving was getting some serious attention at the governmental and corporate level.  Grim, skull emblazoned warning posters were widely displayed announcing that “driving and alcohol don’t mix”.  The American National Safety, through a Committee on Tests for Intoxication, developed a “Standard Alcohol Influence Form” for Law Enforcement.

The momentum continued into 1938, when a gathering of the American Medical Association’s “Committee to Study Problems of Motor Vehicle Accidents” reportedly gave impetus to a soon to be established a “.15 blood alcohol level” as the threshold evidence for a conviction for impaired driving.  That permissive number stayed in place for many years, gradually being reduced in North American jurisdictions, to “.10” then the familiar “.08” and now on to “zero tolerance” levels in some places and some circumstances.

Statistics for “alcohol-impaired driving fatalities” have, it appears, only been kept in the United States since 1982.  In 1982, it is suggested that 26,000 people died in this category, with a reduction to about 12,000 for year 2007.  In total, from 1982 to present, there have been close to half a million deaths due to alcohol, on American roadways.

From 1937, when brother James died, to the present moment, what is the death toll?  Millions?  The statistics in this area, even since 1982, are notoriously controversial, and difficult to ascertain, but in any case, we are looking at startlingly large numbers.

Blood alcohol standards may have changed, but the worst outcome of impaired driving has remained consistent, as we find with Brother James:

Brother James went out riding, riding in that ’29 Ford

Brother James went out riding, riding in that ’29 Ford

That poor man was drinking bad whiskey, well boys he sure done lose his soul

Lord I went out in Greenville, looked down in brother James' face

I says sleep on brother James, I'll meet you Resurrection Day

Lord brother James died under surgery and he didn't have the time to pray

Brother James died under surgery, didn't have the time to pray

I said goodbye brother James, ooo well I'll meet you Resurrection Day

Now he left sister Lottie, trying to save her wicked soul

She ain't going to drink no more whiskey, ooo well boys going to ride no ’29 Ford

I went to the graveyard and I peeped down in brother James' face

Lord I went to the graveyard and I peeped down in brother James' face

Says you know you died drunk brother James and you didn't have no time to pray

Farewell brother James, hope we will meet some day

Farewell brother James, hope we will meet some day

I will be at the fishing table, ooo well when they send brother James away