| Drinking and driving destroys thousands of lives each | | | | go is to plan ahead with a designated driver or |
| year. Alcohol has a way of "sneaking up on you" | | | | alternate form of transportation, set defined time and |
| sometimes and the effects of alcohol can be | | | | alcohol consumption limits for ourselves and learn your |
| unpredictable. Some nights you may have two beers | | | | personal tolerance levels. |
| and feel a buzz, while other nights you're almost at ten | | | | The best way to prevent drinking and driving in general |
| and still feel unsatisfied. | | | | is to be a good friend. Sometimes it may seem taxing |
| Binge drinking is common among drinkers. It seems that | | | | or you may feel underappreciated, but understand that |
| most people either don't care for alcohol or like drinking | | | | a simple gesture could save a life. |
| alcohol TOO much, but it should not be tolerated when | | | | You can suggest another ride home for the person |
| it claims so many innocent victims. Drinking with set | | | | who has been drinking alcohol, offer to let them stay |
| limits and a sensible transportation plan is fine, but | | | | the night at your house, offer to ride the bus with them |
| excessively drinking and driving someone off the road | | | | home, or even pay for a cab to get them home |
| has become a serious social problem that must be | | | | safely. People who have high alcohol content might get |
| targeted through a variety of community strategies. | | | | belligerent with you or treat you like a "party crasher," |
| The drinking and driving statistics for 2005 were | | | | but positive peer pressure is the only way we can |
| astounding. Roughly 1 million people were injured in | | | | combat bad habits and deadly behavior. |
| drunken driving crashes that year. The NTSHA | | | | Each year, drinking and driving crashes in the United |
| reported that 16,885 Americans died in alcohol-related | | | | States cost about $51 billion. Some efforts to combat |
| motor vehicle crashes, representing 39% of all | | | | drug and alcohol abuse have been successful. For |
| traffic-related deaths. | | | | example, increased police enforcement/setting up |
| Mothers Against Drunk Driving statistics show that the | | | | sobriety checkpoints have helped deter law breakers. |
| percentage jumped to 41% the following year. | | | | The zero tolerance law has been effective in targeting |
| Additionally, the Department of Justice reported that | | | | young drivers in some states. For some large festivals, |
| another 1.4 million drivers were arrested for DUI or | | | | a Ride Program is set up to give free (or at least |
| DWI. | | | | affordable) transportation for attendees. Mandatory |
| In a survey done by the American Journal of | | | | counseling for offenders is a good step toward |
| Preventative Medicine, 159 million people admitted that | | | | recovery from alcoholism as well. |
| they had been drinking and driving that year! Given | | | | There are some drinking and driving prevention |
| these dangerous statistics, it seems that people are | | | | success stories. Over the past 20 years, |
| seriously underestimating the possible effects of | | | | alcohol-related fatal crash rates have decreased by |
| alcohol on the road. | | | | 60% for drivers aged 16 to 17 years and 55% for |
| Since alcohol consumption is known to physically impair | | | | drivers aged 18 to 20 years, according to the Centers |
| judgment in the amygdala region of the brain, obscuring | | | | for Disease Control and Prevention. To be most |
| danger while simultaneously exciting the "reward | | | | effective, communities are urged to implement and |
| center," we almost can't help ourselves. Therefore, the | | | | enforce minimum legal drinking age laws and "zero |
| only way to resist the urge to just get in your car and | | | | tolerance" laws for drivers under 21. |