You’re sitting on the couch watching your favorite Friday night sitcom and a public service announcement (PSA) comes onto the screen.
In the PSA, some friends are at a party and the driver becomes drunk.
A friend tries to take the driver’s keys, urging them not to drive.
The scene then cuts into a serious car crash as the friend watches in complete horror and regret.
We have all seen this PSA or one like it, but most of us ignore it.
Just like most things in life, we feel like, “This won’t happen to me” until it does.
Drinking and driving has been a major issue for years.
Not only can you harm yourself, but you are putting others’ lives at risk.
Drunk driving not only leads to serious injuries, but it can also lead to death.
Anytime someone drinks alcohol, it affects the body and the brain, which makes it hard to drive.
The moment you start drinking, your body starts to slow down, which will lead to you becoming impaired.
You may start to feel dizzy or even sleepy, which is the reason you are not allowed to control a car while under the influence of alcohol.
Not only does driving while under the influence risk harming people, but it can also cause property damage.
Property damage can be extremely expensive to repair, and sometimes irreplaceable.
Another risk of drinking and driving is the legal issues you can get yourself into.
If you get caught drinking and driving, you will lose your ability to drive, which limits your access to getting around to places like work, doctor’s appointments, etc.
Let alone, you must think about the cost of lawyer fees and fines you will be responsible for resulting from this.
Then there is the thought of dealing with probation and potentially jail time, which can cause you to lose employment and even your home.
Legal issues come with fines and classes required by the state, which are not free.
During this process, all it takes is to make one mistake to land you back in jail and it is not worth it.
Some people need help to prevent drinking and driving.
The number one thing to do is to simply not get behind the wheel after drinking.
If you know you are going to be attending an event where there’s a possibility that you will be drinking, you should think about how you plan to get back home.
Consider carpooling with someone who doesn’t drink much or even consider taking a Rideshare service home.
Not only should you think about yourself but pay attention to the people around you.
If you see a friend who thinks it okay to drive and you know they’ve been drinking, consider getting them a ride as well.
Just one conversation or act could save someone’s life.
Teens also have a higher percentage of drinking and driving so it’s important for parents, counselors, and teachers to constantly educate children on the importance of safe driving.
All in all, drinking and driving is a serious issue that affects many people.
It leads to serious injuries, death, property damage, and even legal issues.
Not only does it affect you, but it will affect the people around you and how your loved ones look at you.
The only way we can address this issue is to simply not drink and drive.
We must work together to keep our roads safe to make a difference.