The Rising Problem of Drinking and Driving in the United States

Drinking and driving has become an increasing problem in the United States over the past semi centennial. 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver. Just one drink before the operation of machinery can affect the attentiveness of the brain to make sudden decisions on the road. The expanding awareness of alcohol hazards has made people much more tentative of the consequences and ramification of drinking, especially young adults from the ages of 18-24. Young adults have not only the highest prevalence of alcohol consumption than any other age group, but the also drink much more heavily and allow themselves to experience more negative consequences.

The immense and self repeating problem with drunk driving is the high rate of traffic accidents. 30 people die every day from drinking and driving; that's 1 death every 48 minutes or 10,950 deaths per year all because of the consumption of alcohol. The most agonizing part of drinking and driving is that every injury and fatality could have been prevented.

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Precise factors pertaining to the catastrophic problems of DUI and DWI's include Blood Alcohol Level (BAC), failure to wear a seat belt, and the inexperience of driving. The legal blood alcohol level is .08% but even at .02% the drivers' perception can be affected. Not wearing your seatbelt is one of the most important contributors to drinking and driving. 36% of drunk drivers who total out or damage their car are not wearing seatbelts. Safety is always first and being intoxicated while driving tarnishes your train of thought for protecting yourself and others.

On an average, drunk drivers will have driven 80 times under the legal limit before their arrest. The biggest concern is that the people who are receiving DWI and DUI's are all repeat offenders. Is there no crucial punishment to thoughs who take away innocent lives? Drinking and driving has profoundly affected my life.

In 2009, my mom received her 2nd DWI. My mother was incarcerated for 3 months and now permanently has licensed revoked. After her release from jail, my mom was court ordered to breathe into a breathalyzer at random hours of the day to make sure she wasn't under the influence of alcohol. Going through this was a huge burden for my mom but also on my family. DWI's are a complete embarrassment and destroy not only your life but also your reputation My mother was very close to losing her job but also the people who mattered the most in her life, her children. My mom has learned remarkably from her scandalous mistakes and is a constant reminder of why not to drink and drive. In 1980, a mother who lost her son to a deadly drinking and driving accident created Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Since then, a tremendous decrease in alcohol related car crashes has taken place. The founding of MADD has declined DUI and DWI in half, saving over 300,00 people and counting from the destructive abuse of alcohol.

The extra steps we ourselves need to take is making sure everyone gets home safe by appointing a designated driver. Other options for getting a ride home after you have been drinking is by taxi. Insurance providers such as Triple A (AAA) provide free taxi rides home on New Years Eve to not just the people they insure but to the public as well. By being a good friend and not letting our friend that's had one too many drinks drive home drunk, we are making a traumatic difference. Losing a loved one to drinking and driving is the last thing we want to hear about it so doing our part and calling in a cab for your best friend or appointing yourself as designated driver does more than you think to realize. MADD has saved thousands over the course of 50 years. If mothers and daughters could get more involved with this activity, the number of lives that could be saved could sky rocket. Do as you would be done by meaning that if you were too impaired to drive home, wouldn't you want someone to stop you from making the mistake of you life?