The Costs of Drinking and Driving

Approved by:
Paige Master, Gainesville Weddings in Gainesville Florida

As a counselor for alcohol awareness classes, I always ask my students why they didn’t  choose to take a taxi instead of choosing to put their lives at risk  and the lives of other people  and drive under the influence of alcohol.  How many do you think considered calling a cab  or calling somebody to give them a ride home?  Think about that for a moment. Do you think most do? 50%?  Even less? 

The answer will probably shock you  – about ten percent. That means nine out of ten never even thought about  alternative transportation. Today,  with so much money spent  promoting education and punishing behavior, can so few even consider the possibility? The following is a true story from one of my students in my alcohol class. 

Keith’s Story

It was a snowy winters night  in late December.  Keith had just gotten home from college and was looking forward  to visit with his old pals.  The plan was to meet up  at a friend’s apartment  and then go out for a few drinks.

Keith was the high school jock, one of the most popular kids in his class. He never was a real drinker, but really enjoyed hanging out at parties.  In high school he always was the designated driver. His very first real experience with alcohol  occurred while joining  a fraternity at college.

Keith, driving his dad’s new Lexus picked up 3 of his buddies  and they headed to the football field at their old high school to meet up with some others. He and his friends started with beers  and then began making bets, where losing  meant a shot of hard liquor. The drink of the night was tequila. After a couple od  hours and many drinks the time came  for the party to be over. 

Now six friends hopped  in the sedan  with Keith. It was crowded and the windows quickly  became obscured with steam  The first indicator he shouldn’t  have driven  was he coudln’t get the key to work  the ignition. 2nd  he ran over the small concrete parking barrier because he put the car in “Drive” rather than “Reverse”. There was strong damage to the Front bumper  Third, may have been the flashing police  lights around the block.  The police had already arrested  their other friends  who had left just 5  minutes earlier.

Alerted by the sound of the Lexus crashing over the cement parking barrier, a police car  went to take a look.  Keith was the driver.  The police made him perform both a field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer. While he was able to touch his nose, he could not stand on one leg, nor could he walk a straight chalk  line. His BAC  was 0.15, legally drunk.

Keith’s Punishment

Keith’s punishment: suspension of his right to drive  for 180 days,   a five hundred dollar  fine, almost $2,000  in attorney’s cost,  a mandatory alcohol awareness class, and an overnight  in jail. A $15 taxi fare  would have been a great deal  less expensive, isn’t that right 

When I asked Keith  why he made a decision to attempt to drive that evening  he  told me,  “my friends were relying on me. I drove. Besides I would never let them drive my  father’s  brand new car.”  Interesting thinking, huh?

Keith admitted he had other friends  that he could have called to pick him up, including his mom and dad.  His dad,  who had brought him to the alcohol awareness class, said if Keith had called him to pick everyone up, he would have been proud of his child  for his responsible actions.

People  are rational beings. The difficulty lies with the effect drinking  has on our brain  and our ability to make rational decisions. If you understood before getting in your car that, like Keith, you WOULD get caught, and it would cost you thousands of dollars and more, rationally, I know you would find alternative means of transportation.

Alcohol is a serious drug and should be used with care.  If you, or anyone you know, suffer from an drinking  problem, it is vital to seek help immediately. There are groups like Al-Anon and AA  There also are both in-person  and online alcohol awareness classes available.

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