Drunk driving is a huge problem in America. Drunk driving is very dangerous for not only the drunken driver but for the other passangers and driver's who are put into harm's way. It can happen anytime in the day so people should always be cautious. Many people that drink and drive are under aged teens. When a person is under the influence of alcohol, his/her gross motor skills are significantly impaired. Additionally, Alcohol affects a person’s judgment, so they will most likely make bad decisions, like getting behind the wheel of a car.
Death rates in 2011 were extremely high. Lately every year’s death rates from alcohol related accidents have dropped little by little but are still very unacceptable. Although many people are dying from alcohol related accidents, it does not even come close to how many are permanently injured. It is estimated that 630,000 Americans are injured every year by a drunken driving accident and 72 are severely injured every hour. This would be the same as if everyone in a middle school became injured in less then one school day.
There were many groups of people working very hard to end the problem of drunk driving. This includes a group Called M.A.D.D. (mothers against drunk driving). Another group involves Kids. It’s called S.A.D.D.(students against destructive decisions). S.A.D.D.’s mission is to provide students with the best prevention tools possible to deal with the issues of underage drinking, driving and other drug use, impaired other destructive decisions. There are many ways groups like S.A.D.D and M.A.D.D are working to end drunk driving. These include increasing public awareness through education. Also it includes Working with law enforcement to have tougher penalties. Lastly they are supporting efforts to develop technology that would make it impossible for an intoxicated driver to start a vehicle.
The people in the accidents that are horribly injured can have lifelong issues. A girl from metro Detroit is an example. When Jamie was just eight years old her father mother sister and her were all in the car. They had just gone out for a family dinner and when they left the restraint they were struck by a drunken driver. In just a blink of an eye their lives were changed forever. When Jamie woke up at the hospital after three months in a coma and several surgeries she was not the same eight year old girl she was before. She was never able to return to regular school. Now at age 21 Jamie has to live in a group home, her father is unable to work because of the severe injury he got, her mother has spent years battling major depression and her sister who had to have both knees replaced cannot walk normally and is in constant pain. This is just one of many thousand tragic stories from one drunk driver.
Drunk driving should not be tolerated and everyone should do their part to make sure to behave responsibly. Alcohol alters an individual's vision, reaction times, perception of distance, and judgment of one's abilities. SADD believes that young people can have fun, enjoy life and nurture positive personal relationships without the distraction and distortion of alcohol. SADD is one group that students can be a part of to help make a difference. Lives are lost and changed forever when someone chooses to drink and then get behind the wheel of a car.