Well I can’t believe it took this long into this blog to finally decide to deal with the single most stupid/dumb/idiotic thing that drivers — young and old — continue to do and that is Drinking and Driving!

I could fill up ten pages of thoughts and statistics on this senseless act however how about I throw out just a few things based on recent studies:

  • Did you know that a third of all fatalities in automobile accidents are caused by drunken drivers?
  • Did you know that there were over 10,000 people killed in drunk and driving accidents? That’s works out to be an average of one person killed in a drunk and driving accident every 45 minutes!
  • Additionally statics show that one in five drivers killed tested positive for drugs in their system. So without going on and on with listing a whole bunch of additional statistics that might bore you well I will simply state — JUST DON’T DO IT!

What Happens if you get Caught?

breathalyser testsBut I will provide to you a quick overview of the trickledown effect of what could happen should you get a DUI (Driving Under the Influence): What a DUI Will Do to You!

  • First you get arrested and it stays on your record for a long long time!
  • Next you get taken to jail which is far from fun!
  • Once there your parents are called and notified.
  • You get the pleasure of appearing in a court of law.
  • You are fined and will pay a small fortune.
  • You have one of your life’s freedoms taken away — your license!
  • Your insurance rate will go through the ceiling in the future.
  • It can have a effect on your credit rating.
  • Future job opportunities will be in jeopardy for years to come.
  • If God forbid someone was killed in your drunk driving accident you will live with that for the rest of your life! There are several easy ways to avoid all of this and the easiest one being DON’T DRINK and DRIVE! Very simple and for you rookie drivers well you have enough of a challenge learning to drive without having alcohol or drugs effecting your driving ability.

Parties and Having a Drink After Work!

A second option is if you find yourself in the position where you have been drinking such as attending a party and hanging with the guys/girls at a bar and have had more then you should to drink well have a designated driver bring you home. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you have had too much to drink and don’t feel you can operate a car.

Do yourself and most importantly all the other drivers out on the road a favor and don’t get behind the wheel. You know and I know that drivers who are out after midnight especially on weekend nights well there is a pretty good chance they are returning from a bar/party where they have been drinking.

Designated Driver

So versus the risk of coming up on a “roadblock” or potentially getting involved in a wreck, etc. well how about turning your keys over to someone that has not been drinking as it just is not worth everything I have described earlier! Lastly if you can’t find a designated driver well I would suggest the cost of a taxi driver as it is a lot cheaper and safer trust me plus…it keeps you off the road which we all appreciate!

Driving Tired

driving tiredAnother area that falls into the category of “stupid things” is driving fatigue which is when you find yourself being too sleepy or tired to drive.

Many times this can rank right up there with drunk driving as you risk either driving off the road or worse yet steering your car into oncoming traffic. When you find yourself too tired or sleepy to drive, such as when on long trips, how about doing several things versus putting both you and others (like me!) in jeopardy. Consider handing over the keys to someone else in the car that might not be as tired as you or stopping at the next closest rest stop if available and taking a nap.

Once you get some shut eye then get up and stop for a cup(s) of coffee before proceeding on your trip. FYI in regards to drinking coffee in hopes it will help you when you are drinking and driving…well detailed studies show it does not help one single bit so don’t think it’s a solution! One of the other “stupid things” is driving while talking on the phone or worse yet texting/emailing.