According to the CDC, alcohol-impaired drivers got behind the wheel around 147 million times in 2018. About one-third of car crashes involve drunk drivers. Drunk driving is a common thing happening in the US. Our society should not normalize drunk driving or even allow it to be a topic people must worry about while on the road at any time. With parents putting their kids on the road, this is a challenging and disheartening thing to think of. All you want is for everyone to be safe, but those who feel the need to get on the road after drinking take all this away. In the blink of an eye, your life can be ruined by being a drunk driver or being hit by a drunk driver.

Being under the influence can affect judgment skills and impair motor skills. These two skills are something that are vital to being on the road. Your motor skills need to be at their best while driving to prevent accidents and road issues. Judgment skills can explain why people think driving after drinking is acceptable. Alcohol for some can also act as a sedative, making the driver drowsy while behind the wheel. This affects your reaction time, making it less and less accessible for the driver to catch their mistakes while on the road or even notice that they are falling asleep.

Although driving drunk is inadequate, it is understandable why many may believe that they need to get home. They have impaired judgment and may think they are okay to drive. They misjudge how impaired they are. While drunk, your mind is altered, which increases the likelihood of having an accident and making bad decisions. Therefore, it is always essential to have a trusted friend or DD (designated driver) to drive you so that we can protect you and the other drivers on the road.