Partying with Death

Having fun on the weekends is essential to living life. As hard working people we can not wait until friday to enjoy the liberties that the weekend brings in. No work means staying out late, having fun with friends, and drinking good booze. Usually these fun activities come in the same package, and they can make for some crazy nights. But these crazy nights can have you literally partying with death.

Nearly half of all deadly car accidents happen between six pm to midnight on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. With Saturday serving as the peak day of deadly car accidents here in America. These are the three days that signify our freedom from the chains of labor, and bind us to the freedom of fun. But we must ask ourselves at what cost? Is a life worth the same value as driving while intoxicated? Every time that we tell ourselves that it is okay to drive while under the influence, we are saying that someone’s life has the same value as our weekend fun. We must do better. When we choose to go out and party we must maintain a level of life preservation.

There are many different ways to upkeep safe driving during drunken nights. In today’s day and age we have access to countless resources to help us stay safe while on the road. When it comes to drinking and driving we must utilize resources such as Lyft, Uber, and Empower to get us to our destinations safely. Not only are these methods safe but they are also convenient methods of travel. And we cannot forget about the traditional appointment of a designated driver. The person who is willing to take off a fun night for the team so that traveling will not become the root of a bad night; a bad night that could change the lives of many people.

During the first week of my freshman year of college, I was a passenger in a drunk driving accident. It was a late rainy night in Washington, D.C . The roads were empty but the ground was slick. The car was packed with all of the friends that I had made that week. Our driver who owned the car insisted that she could drive us back to our dormitory in one piece. She had been drinking and smoking marijuana that night. Being that we were all under the influence, our moral compass was not pointed in the right direction. We were dumb enough to trust her to get us home safely. Not only was she under the influence of substances, but she also subscribed to the pressure of looking cool for her new college buddies. She began driving above the speed limit. And as time would pass, I felt more unsafe by the minute. The only thing keeping me calm was the ignorance of my drunk friends who were riding with me.

It seemed as if they were used to this method of driving. Speeding around turns and casually swaying through lanes. But, I knew that something bad was bound to happen. As we approached a downhill curve, the car hydroplaned into a curb and we came to an abrupt stop. The car nearly rolled over on its side, but fortunately the weight from all of the passengers stabilized the vehicle. Everyone panicked and quickly hopped out of the car to see the damage that was done. The car was immobile. But by the grace of God, nobody had a single scratch on their body. Drunken and filled with adrenaline, we had to decide on what to do next. I quickly called my brother and explained to him the situation. I told him that I would need an uber to get home. He responded promptly and twenty five minutes later the uber had arrived.

I was not sure how to handle the situation. This was the first time that I had ever been involved in a drunk driving accident. We were all lucky that we had survived that night. Something so much worse could have occurred. From that day forward, I promised myself that I would work to prevent drunk driving on my college campus. Whenever I was out with friends and drinks were involved, I would always advise us to take an uber. And when it was time to leave a party, I would watch who would be handling the wheel. If I knew someone was drinking at a party I had attended, I would make sure that they were not driving home. My friends made fun of me for being so safe. Because, I would always ask the question, who’s driving? But I knew that my efforts were keeping my friends away from partying with death.