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Despite it being one of the most unpleasant things to have to talk about, drunk driving affects every single one of us. Statistically speaking, 1 person is likely to be killed in an alcohol-related crash before I finish writing this article. Think about how deep that is! Before the beginning of the new year, hundreds of families will morn the loss of loved ones taken by drunk drivers. For them, New Year’s will be grim, quiet and marked as a time for sadness in place of celebration. Unfortunately, people dying due to drunk driving is nothing new. Because this problem will persist, it’s time for you to learn to be a hero. Although you can’t single handedly eradicate the problem of drunk driving, there are some things you can do to go against it. Put on your game face folks because here we go.
The holidays are undoubtedly when the most instances of drunk driving occur. Alcohol is a frequent embellishment to family gatherings and work is adjourned. Between these and other factors, many will let their guards down and take to the roads intoxicated. You don’t have to be punch drunk to be a risk either. Here is a chart that can help paint a picture as to what your BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) looks like after drinking. Even if you are under the legal limit, your driving skills will still be affected. When any holiday or cause of celebration comes around, keep your guard up! If you know that you are going to be driving, choose a different way to celebrate than by drinking.
If you are in an environment where people are drinking, keep an eye on those drinking that are considering driving. If you see someone impaired preparing to drive, now is your chance to be a hero. Offer to call a cab for them. If they decline, offer giving them a ride yourself. In extreme cases, you might have to confiscate their keys. If you don’t know the impaired person, quickly look for those that appear to know them and let them know what is happening. Although this may require you to step out of your comfort zone, the risk of not doing so is simply too great. Knowingly putting lives at risk is not worth trying to save face.
Never step into a car with an impaired driver behind the wheel. Doing this is just plain stupid. Offer to drive for them if you have to. If they don’t bite, you need to seek alternate means of transportation. Plain and simple. Often times, intoxicated people can be stubborn and unreasonable. If you find yourself in a situation where an intoxicated driver takes to the road despite your previous offers of assistance, call the authorities. Why does that sounds extreme? Because it is! Extreme situations often require extreme measures. If while driving you see another driver driving erratically, take down the license plate number and immediately call the authorities to report them.
Holidays or not, these are some things that you should always keep in mind. You can be a hero. For every impaired driver that you have gotten home safely, you very well may have prevented tragic accidents from occurring. With New Year’s Eve 2013 coming up (And then 2014, 2015, 2016 after that), you need to be especially keen on what’s going on around you. According to a recent survey conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance, New Year’s Eve is the worst night of the year for drinking and driving accidents. So when you celebrate, do so responsibly and safely. For more facts about drinking and driving, click here.
