4 times more probable than if you did not? The Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that 60 percent of all teen deaths in car accidents are alcohol related. Drunk driving cannot only hurt yourself but also the cars and pedestrians around you. Of the 1,746 traffic fatalities among children ages 0 to 14, about one out of every six involved an alcohol impaired driver.To stop all the fatalities and injures from drunk driving awareness should be promoted, laws should be enforced, and students should know what to do if they are put in a drunk driving situation. Promoting awareness would be the first breakthrough measure to teach teenagers not to drink and drive. The number one way to prevent teenage drunk driving would be to promote awareness.
To way to promote awareness would be to directly educate students.All schools should raise awareness about the risks, injures, and deaths caused by driving under the influence of alcohol. For example how teenage drunk driving kills eight teens everyday. Knowledge and information about teen drunk driving could also be recognized by building billboards with data to inform the public. Even small facts like how drivers are less likely to use seat belts when they have been driving under the influence.
After educating students and the public the next course of action would be to have the law enforced.The enforcement of laws would also play a major role in preventing teen drunk driving. As stated by the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is estimated that 24,560 lives have been saved by minimizing the drinking age laws since 1975. There are important reasons for laws, such as a drinking age. For instance the NIAAA explains that the rate of fatal crashes among alcohol-involved drivers between 16 and 20 years old is more than twice the rate for alcohol-involved drivers 21 years and older.Even driving with a little amount of alcohol in your system could be fatal.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that twenty-three precent of teenage drivers in fatal car wrecks possessed a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of . 08. Also if you happen not to get in a car accident, then you have to worry about getting a DUI and how the law deals with a teenager under the age of 21 that even possess a blood-alcohol level. To save yourself from all the trouble check your other important options.
Everyone say that they would not drink in drive or be in a car with someone that drinks and drives, so why do it? Most teenagers think that they do not have any other option other than to drive anyway. According to CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance just during the last 30 days, 28. 5 percent of high school students nation wide had ridden one or more times in a car or vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol. There are many other ways driving under the influence can be avoided.
One way would be to call a sober friend or call a parent.You are probably thinking that your parent would kill you, but they would much rather you be safe and not just another teen drunk driving statistic. Another alternative would be to call a cab. With all these possibilities the best choice would be not to be impaired and drive or be in a car with an impaired driver.
From all the statistics, facts, and reasons why it is detrimental and destructive to drink and drive, teenagers still do it. By promoting awareness with information it would communicate to teenagers how harmful drinking and driving can be.Also how following and enforcing laws can make a huge difference. After the drinking age was changed from 18 to 21 the drunk driving fatalities among teen drivers have decreased 70 percent. In addition it is very crucial to make the right decision on what to do in a drinking and driving situation.
Not only would teenagers be saving themselves but also the lives of many innocent by passers. The next time you are impaired with your car keys in the ignition, just remember drunk driving kills.