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The
greatest mistake any drinking driver makes is that drunk driving isn't serious
to many drinkers until it becomes serious. An accident may or may not
exist down that drunken road this night, but the one time out of thousands when
it does exist is when tragedy affects many.
The
choices made right now, this very moment, are what decides how many people will
be affected for decades to come by a responsible or an irresponsible
act.
It's
not just the drunk driver who can make the tough choices. Taking
the keys from an insistent drunk best friend who thinks she's "just
fine" to drive isn't easy to do despite all the commercials showing you how
to do it.
Don't
Let Your Courage Waver!
When
it comes to allowing your best friend to drive drunk or demanding her car keys,
your courage may waver. After all, it's easy to question just how bad a
can few drinks be, when home is only a short distance away.
Home
Is Never A Short Distance Away
Most
accidents happen within 25 miles of home. Accidents are never planned, so
if one didn't happen last weekend, then consider if the roulette wheel will make
the number come up tonight.
We
may not want to lose the friendship of your best friend by taking the keys of a
potential drunk driving happy person, but think of the consequences the next day
if tonight is the night for a drunk driving car accident. You
may ignore the potential consequences hundreds of times. Many people
may slip by with simple fender benders, but the day a friend dies or kills
someone else, because of alcohol is the day you'll lose a friend to a choice you
can't rethink next weekend.
Everybody
can help prevent drunk driving by taking just a few precautions. Always
use a designated driver, and be extra careful to make sure that you’re driving
safely during the holidays.
For
example, on major holidays like New Year’s Eve or major events like
once-a-year Sports Celebrations plan to stay the night wherever you intend on
celebrating.
Also, volunteering to be a designated driver will make sure that the
person behind the wheel is sober.
Driving drunk creates a risk that most don't truthfully comprehend.
The life you ruin will be your own plus the victim's life whether she survives
or dies. There are also the victims' family members and friends and, of
course, your loved ones.
A DUI(Driving
Under the Influence) or DWI(Driving While Intoxicated) conviction is serious,
but it's only a very small part of the stigma a drunk driving survivor
carries for life.
Senseless
Tragedies from Avoidable Entertainment
Accidents
involving alcohol are viewed after the fact as tremendously senseless tragedies,
because they are avoidable. The vehicle is viewed as a weapon the
drunk driver carelessly brandished about the road for his or her own
convenience.
Your
after-the-fact intentions and tears in a court or hospital room may be
legitimate, but few people will feel the compassion you crave after you have
unintentionally killed or injured another person's husband, wife, mother, child,
teacher or friend.
Cold courtrooms
command you to pay compensation that could last the rest of your life.
Literally
hundreds of people's lives are adversely affected by the entertainment value of
one drunk driver behind the wheel of a car.
Drunk
driving is a Choice
Make Another Choice
Drunk driving
is a choice made when your decision making abilities are impaired by
alcohol. Make the absolute decision now to never drive when you have been
drinking, to never drink while you are driving, or to just never drink alcohol.
Don't
Drink and Drive.
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