A Solution to Drunk Driving

A
Solution to Drunk Driving

It’s
a proven fact that the number one cause of car-related deaths in the
U.S is due to drunk driving. Driving while under influence has caused
many people to lose their lives while on the road. Most of the time
the person who was under influence often walks away from the
situation without losing their life, while the person they collided
with often suffers severe injury or even death. There are many ways
that this situation can be prevented with the biggest solution being
the use of common sense.

For
example, if a person knows that they plan to drink and are not going
with another person or a large group, they should plan ahead to call
for a cab or Uber. Alternatively, traveling in groups can give a
person the leeway to choose a designated driver for the evening. This
person would avoid drinking the entire evening and ensure that
everyone arrives home safely. Although this option does not seem
ideal for most people, this can be a voluntary choice for any person.
However, this is a rather simple solution to avoid situations such as
getting arrested for a DUI or accidentally ending another person’s
life. Cases like these often do not only affect a single person.
Accidents, where someone can lose their life, will affect that person
or people’s families. The pain and grief from losing a loved one
that is the consequence of another person’s actions because they
decided to drive while they were impaired.

The
Hazelden BettyFord Foundation explains the effects on the brain as
profound. “It blocks chemical signals between brain cells,” they
said, “leading to the common immediate symptoms of intoxication,
including impulsive behavior, slurred speech, poor memory, and slowed
reflexes.” In my drivers ed class, my instructor often told us
that the one who was driving under influence often did not die due to
those slow reflexes. In a crash, a person will reflexively throw
their hands up to protect themselves and tighten their muscles. In
this event, a person who is more aware of their surroundings acts out
of fear while the intoxicated person does not act at all.

Those
who drink and drive may not think about how Drinking and Driving can
ruin future or potential opportunities. No one forgets when somebody
takes another person’s life. Those who do drink may be college
students who think about the fun instead of the fall. Instances like
these can get a person expelled from college in the worst-case
scenario. If a person just thinks of the potential consequences of
their actions, there are many situations that can be avoided. A
person simply has to think of how they would feel if something like
this happened to them. Drunk driving is not a new issue nor is it
highly uncommon. Every fifty-minutes a person is killed by a drunk
driver. Though this problem can be solved, people must first take the
initiative and think before they act.

Works
Cited

“Alcohol
Effects on the Brain.” Alcohol
Effects on the Brain | Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation,
www.hazeldenbettyford.org/education/bcr/addiction-research/alcohol-effects-brain-ru-515.