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