By: Jimmy Manley Every fifty minutes there is a death caused by drunk driving. This adds up to be twenty-nine deaths everyday. Drinking and alcoholism are already a huge issue facing today’s society and when the operation of a motor vehicle is added to the mix, things will get dangerous. Driving under the influence not only puts the drivers life at risk, it puts every other person on and around the streets at risk. The legality of drinking and driving is not complicated and there are many alternatives that can keep everyone safe.
Typically, a person will begin driving on their own at the age of sixteen and as we all should be aware, the legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one. In most states, the legal limit for driving under the influence is .08 blood alcohol concentration. If someone under twenty-one is caught purchasing, possessing, or consuming alcohol they could be faced with fines, community service, a required alcohol awareness class, and even a suspension of their driver’s license for up to a year. If any person is caught driving under the influence, they will face the same consequences just on a larger scale and with the addition of jail time. Basically, being caught doing anything illegal really sucks, so don’t do it.
How people choose to get in their car and drive after drinking baffles me. Especially with the many alternatives we have to choose from today. As always, there is public transportation such as cabs, buses, and subways that can be used to return home and there is usually plenty of family and friends that would surely help out with a ride if someone was in need. However, we now have many more options that are much easier and cost effective. Uber and Lyft are a few of the popular ones. These ridesharing apps allow users to easily find a safe ride home at the click of a button. The people that provide these rides are your everyday person. They just have to have a car and pass a series of background tests to be approved as a driver. Once someone orders a ride, someone drives to their locations and takes them where they need to go. The fun thing is that the drivers get rated by their customers, so they are always trying to give the riders the best experience by providing things such as food and entertainment.
With all of the alternative methods of getting to and from places, drinking and driving should be nonexistent. It is a stupid and dangerous thing for anyone to do that can have dire consequences. The laws about drinking and driving can be easily accessed online and there are multiple apps for rideshares that make getting home easy and cheap. Next time you or someone you know thinks getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, tell them about how much it can screw up their life and let them know about Uber and Lyft.
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