Since the moment the first car was invented, driving has never been 100% safe. The first cars had their flaws, and those flaws were fixed over time.
Nowadays, driving cars is safer than it used to be, because they are stronger, have better fuel efficiency, better engines, have better safety features like air bags, lock systems, and advanced technology that will continue to improve.
Cars are more reliable now, and people depend on cars to keep them safe. However, an issue sparks, not with cars themselves, but with the choices the drivers make.
Many drivers follow the law, follow the signs on the road, follow the speed limits, overall keeping every life on the road safe. However, some drivers do not follow the law, which is a known fact if you’ve ever seen someone not making the smartest choices while driving, such as cutting others off or not using their signals.
But some drivers make the poor choice of drinking and driving. This choice is not only unintelligent and ignorant, but it is also very dangerous. Drinking and driving risks the lives of everyone on the road- people with lives. This includes families and children.
“I think drunk driving is unsafe. There are some ways others avoid the consequences of drunk driving. If someone is drunk, a friend can try to give them a ride to make sure they are safe.” said Renzo Paunil, a freshman at John W North.
Many people may not know how bad drunk driving is. You may have heard the saying, “don’t drink while driving”, but the message should be taken much more seriously than it does.
The amount of accidents because of drinking while driving may not be known to some. But something that may possibly be even less known is how many deaths are caused because of drunk drivers. Everyday in the United States, 37 people die because of drunk driving accidents. (NHTSA) According to this statistic, around 13,500 people die of drunk driving accidents every year. Behind all of those deaths is the grief felt from families who could have lost someone from a drunk driving accident, whether the loved one they lost was the drunk driver or not.
Many people have come forward and shared their stories of how powerful the choice of drinking while driving is. Organizations exist to stress how drunk driving can ruin or even end someone’s life.
MADD is an organization that stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. This organization not only stands against drunk driving but also shares stories of mothers who have lost their children to emphasize how a choice to drink before or while driving can endanger lives on the road.
According to MADD’s website , from one of their true stories available to read, “A Santa Clarita woman, Katie Evans, who was visiting her newborn, premature twins in the hospital was killed in alleged drunk driving crash. The new family additions, a happy miracle after three miscarriages and a dangerous pregnancy, recently grew the family to six.” Katie Evans, a wife, a mother, and a sister, unfortunately lost her life because someone made the unfortunate choice to drink and drive.
More tragic stories like ones with Katie and her family are out there. Many people are killed everyday from drunk driving accidents, so think about how much more heartbreaking stories exist.
As a society we need to think about our actions. No matter how old we are, we should be mature and should always think about how the choices we make can affect not only ourselves, but others as well.
Because the decision of drinking while driving can endanger a life, think about the choice of choosing to drive sober, that choice saves lives.
“The consequences of drunk driving are potentially putting your and others’ lives at risk. While drunk driving you’re not fully aware of the damage you could cause to innocent, random people. I believe that it’s important to make sure everyone is aware of the consequences of drunk driving and the ways you can avoid it. If you simply get a ride with someone else then you could have technically saved lives. It’s not worth risking so much for a quick ride,” Isabella Caudill, a freshman at John W.North stated about drunk driving awareness.
Together, as a society, we can try our best to lower the rates of drunk driving accidents, injuries, or deaths. A first step to take (if you are at the age where you can drive) is to not drink before or while we drive. This small, yet smart choice, can save lives. If you are too young to be able to drive, you have to think about others and your own safety. If somehow a friend of yours has been drinking (and they can drive) make sure they go home safely. This includes getting them a ride from someone sober, which can include calling an Uber, a parent, or offering to drive them home if you have not been drinking. This action can save the life of your friend, or anyone else they could possibly endanger.
Always think about the stories of those who have lost their families because of drunk drivers, and think about the statistics. You could change that by simply making the choice of not drinking before or while driving. Don’t drink and drive, because there’s always lives on the line.
