Take It Personally: Drinking and Driving Kills
By Ella Wallace ’24
Drinking and driving is a very complex issue. The consequences are very real and very tragic. Say you’re in a serious car accident taking the life of another innocent person because of your decision making. Around 37 people die everyday from alcohol related accidents that could have been prevented. It’s an issue that’s been normalized. People prioritize their own priority over others and do whatever’s easiest at the moment.
Witnessing the tragic consequences of drinking and driving has pushed me to inform the importance of the issue and why it needs to be addressed. It’s become a very normalized issue, especially in young adults. In Massachusetts alone, around 37% of motor vehicle deaths were alcohol-related. You can help save innocent civilians and friends’ lives by talking about the dangers. While also informing people of what can happen.
I’ve seen the personal consequences of drinking and driving with the death of my sister’s close friend and acquaintances pushing the limits of safety. They were hanging out in a group together at a restaurant all of them drinking and she just got up and left. She left her purse and phone so nobody thought anything of it. She actually took her keys and decided to go on a drive which ultimately ended with her crashing her car and ending her life. My sister talked about the immense guilt she had and it affected her for a long time. My sister was only friends with her so I can’t imagine the grief the rest of her family experienced.It’s a tragic consequence to a very avoidable death.
With the rising technology of Uber and Lyft, people don’t need to worry about having to drive. Uber consists of a cheap and easy way to get home safely without endangering other people on the road and civilians. It’s stated that the time period before the substantial introduction of ride share improved DUI arrests by 9.4% yet 2019 arrest data states over a million people were caught drinking and driving.
Drinking and driving is self- centered. It puts innocent lives at risk. Even on social media itś pushed as a joke and not a real issue. I’ve personally seen things like videos encouraging people to drink and drive and stating things like ̈ they drive better when drunk.¨ Some people view it as impressive to attempt carelessly dangerous acts putting innocent people at jeopardy for personal convenience.
Itś not a problem till it happens to you and your life is ruined. Itś easy and safe to use Uber or Lyft in situations where you could be intoxicated and need to go somewhere. It protects the lives of other people and yourself and prevents further tragedy.
