According to the Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility, deaths caused by drunk driving crashes have decreased by 48 percent since 1982. This is a hopeful statistic, but the nation has a way to go before the problem of drunk driving is completely eliminated. The Global Status Report on Road Safety from 2015 shows that the U.S. is the nation with the third-highest number of road accident deaths involving alcohol, behind only South Africa and Canada.
I am naive to the amount of drunk driving happening where I live. I know drunk driving is one of the dumbest and most reckless actions someone can do. For many, it is a no-brainer that drunk driving is completely out of the question. However, others have successfully done it and continue to do it, assuming there won’t be any repercussions.
Young people are directly affected by drunk driving, and students in college towns are at a high risk of danger in these situations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration collected data in 2017 showing that the highest percentage of drunk drivers in deathly crashes that year (27 percent) were 21 to 24 years old. It is easy for drunk people to convince themselves they still have the necessary brain functions and motor skills to correctly operate a vehicle. People are more confident and impulsive when they are inebriated.
Even if nobody is killed or injured by a drunk driver, DUIs are hard to bounce back from. They typically involve a hefty fine and a probation period, where consequences are harsher if a second offense is committed. At that point, it is more worth it to just pay for a ride home.
Drunk driving has become even more avoidable since ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, were launched. Many people prefer these apps over taxi services because you can get more information about your ride and see the exact cost before the trip begins. Some people resort to drunk driving because they can’t afford to use these services. UF students can take advantage of the UF Uber Safe Rides Program. UF’s Student Government and Uber have formed a partnership offering students rides within a specific zone around UF’s campus 25 percent off on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. More information about the program and how to use the discount is available on UF’s website.
So how can students continue to help eliminate this problem? Everyone has the power to take direct action to make sure no one gets behind the wheel when they are intoxicated. It is important for everyone to share some guilt and take responsibility when being a bystander in a situation that leads to drunk driving. If you are intoxicated as well, offer to pay for your friend’s ride home and give them some time to pay you back. If you aren’t, make sure your friends know they can count on you to pick them up and drive them home if the alternative is drunk driving. It is even better to find a way to physically confiscate someone’s keys if you know they are not sober enough to drive.
State Farm has a list of signs that someone on the road is driving under the influence. Drunk drivers make wide turns and swerve around the middle of the road. They respond slowly to traffic signals and stop and start randomly. These are tell-tale signs that someone isn’t sober and shouldn’t be on the road. Do not hesitate to call 911 if you suspect someone on the road is driving drunk. You could save someone’s life.
Molly Chepenik is a UF journalism sophomore. Her column appears on Wednesdays.
