Risks Of Drinking And Driving

Drinking and driving has become a huge epidemic in the United States. At least 30 people die everyday due to impaired driving. This means one death every 51 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol related crashes amounts to more than $59 billion. Drinking and driving is a large problem that can be greatly reduced by taking preventive action. Most people realize that drinking and driving is a big issue. However most people aren’t actually aware of how big this problem really is. Almost one third of all traffic related deaths have been caused by impaired driving. In 2013 alone, over 10,000 people were killed in crashes due to alcohol use. Not only does the driver put themselves at risk, but everyone else near them. In 2013, 200 children, ages 0 …show more content…
Young people have a greater risk of getting in a crash, regardless of BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration). In 2013, 33% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes with a BAC over .08% were between the ages of 21 and 24. The second largest age group was 25 to 34, with a whopping 29%. The last age group was from 35 to 44, averaging 24% of these fatal crashes. Motorcyclists are considered another group of people that are at a high risk. Out of all the fatal motorcycle accidents in 2013, 27% of the drivers were determined to be alcohol-impaired. In this case, youth does not play a major factor. Over half of the motorcyclists involved in alcohol related accidents were over the age of 40. The age group with the highest fatal accident rate is between 40 and 44 years old. Almost half of the intoxicated motorcyclists fall into that age group. Also, it has been found that drivers who had been killed in alcohol related crashes were more likely to have previously been convicted of a …show more content…
Before any drinking, a designated driver should always be decided on. As fun as it may be, not everyone in the group can be drunk. The fun will end when the car crashes and the passengers are fighting for their life. If someone is drunk and they are about to drive, the best decision is taking away their keys. The person might be mad at the time, but that very well could have saved their life, or the lives of others. If you are under the influence, calling a taxi or asking a sober friend for a ride is your best option. Driving yourself is the worst thing you could do. Also if you are hosting a party, try and make sure all of your guests have a safe plan home. You should offer lots of alcohol free beverages to encourage drivers to stay