Being involved in an accident like drink driving, affects more than just yourself. It affects your family emotionally as well as financially.

DRUNK DRIVING COST

The first thing to come to mind is the expensive nature of drunk driving. Cost is measured in financial terms and the affect on the person’s life. The average cost for a person’s first DUI connection is anywhere from $9000 to $24,000.

A DUI can also cost you your job or make it difficult for you to find a new job. Many employers will not hire someone with a recent DUI or will fire someone who has got one while working for them. Many employers require employees to be able to drive a company vehicle and maintain a clean driving record. A DUI is virtually an instant way to lose your ability to drive a company vehicle.

DRUNK DRIVING HAS CONSEQUENCES

If someone drives drunk and survives a crash that injures or kills other people, he or she must live with the consequences. That emotional burden can be worse than any bodily harm.

But the physical perils of drunk driving are immense, too. Impaired driving can cause accidents that lead to paralysis, disfigurement, brain damage, and even death.

Impaired driving is also a crime. Drunk drivers often pay significant fines, lose their license, and face higher insurance costs. Common punishments for conviction of a drunken driving-related offense can include:

• Driver’s license suspension / revocation
• Imprisonment in jail
• Vehicle impoundment
• Vehicle license plate confiscation
• Ignition interlock device (IID) restrictions
• Alcohol abuse evaluations
• Mandatory alcohol abuse treatment programs
• Monitored sobriety

COMMON SENSE MITIGATION TO REDUCE RISK OF DRUNK DRIVING

Find your designated driver. Designate a driver who will not drink before you go out. Never assume that someone will volunteer, and make sure that you don’t put all the responsibility on the same person every time. If you feel guilty, offer to buy their dinner or to pay for gas.

Hold each other accountable. When you do go out with friends, coworkers, or family, make a plan with friends to hold each other accountable. Encourage each other to drink water in between alcoholic beverages. If they’ve been drinking, take their keys away from them. Call a cab or offer to give them a ride to pick their car up in the morning.

Be a responsible host. If you’re hosting your own gathering, offer non-alcoholic beverages and make sure everyone has a safe ride home. Monitor your own drinking to ensure that you help guests make safe choices.

Plan alcohol-free activities. Plan activities with friends and family that don’t always involve drinking. Whether it’s being active, enjoying good conversation, exploring a new place, or visiting your favorite spot, you don’t need alcohol to make the evening a memorable one.

SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE DRINKING AND DRIVING

• DWI courts are effective in reducing drinking and driving while intoxicated. They work with hard-core repeat offenders. They do so by treating alcohol addiction. The recidivism or failure rate of DWI and DUI courts is very low.
• The single most effective measure to reduce drunk driving is automatic license revocation.
• Automatic license revocation along with required jail appears to be even more effective.
• Confiscating license plates.
• Requiring ignition interlock devices. They prevent persons with alcohol on their breath from starting a vehicle.
• Vehicle impoundment.
• Expanding alcohol server training programs.
• Using social norms programs. They correct the false belief that most people sometimes drive under the influence of alcohol.
• Requiring alcohol testing in fatal crashes. That would help the prosecution of drunk drivers.

PROTECT YOURSELF

• Don’t drive if alcohol-impaired. It’d dangerous and illegal. And also don’t ride with anyone who has too much to drink. Remember, drunk drivers usually kill themselves and their passengers.
• Serve as a Designated Driver.
• Always use a safety seat belt.
• Use four-lane highways whenever possible.
• Avoid rural roads.
• Avoid travel after midnight. Especially on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Drive defensively.
• Buy safe vehicles. Refer to safety ratings before buying your next vehicle.
• Never use illegal drugs. They cause a large proportion of traffic fatalities.
• Never drive when fatigued. The dangers are similar to intoxication. A drunk or fatigued driver has slowed reactions and impaired judgment. And a driver who nods off at the wheel has no reactions and no judgment!
• Don’t use a cell phone, apply make-up, comb your hair, or eat while driving. Drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to have an accident than other drivers.
• Steer clear of aggressive drivers. Aggressive drivers may be responsible for more deaths than drunk drivers.

FINAL WORD

There is never such a thing as “just a drive down the street” when you are drunk. It may seem like an easier and quicker option compared to finding a designated driver, but it is a decision that could change your life or someone else’s life forever. Think before you decide to drive drunk.