Why do people drive under the influence?

Alcohol has multiple effects on the human body. In fact, alcohol is one of the very many depressants that is actually beneficial to the body. According to the American Heart Association, one of the best known effects of alcohol on the body is a small increase in HDL cholesterol. However, other effects of alcohol intake are far from beneficial to us. For example, moderate alcohol intake can cause dizziness, talkativeness, slurred speech, nausea and vomiting. Moreover, even at a low intake, alcohol significantly impairs the judgment and coordination skills that are vital in order to drive a car safely.

Even though licensed drivers know that alcohol impairs your ability to drive a vehicle, surprisingly, many still choose to drive under the influence. And many suffer the consequences of such decisions. According to Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization whose mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking, on average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 45 minutes. And approximately three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. It is shocking that anyone would want to participate in such risky behavior.

So with prior knowledge of the potential detrimental consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol, why do some people nevertheless choose to participate in such an activity? First of all, many drivers underestimate the effect that a mere drink or two can have on their bodies. In fact, blood-alcohol concentration varies with weight, height, and gender. Therefore, even if a 180-pound male is perfectly capable of driving a vehicle after a couple of beers, a 110-pound female may not be capable of doing so. Others choose to drive under the influence of alcohol because, as they claim, they are only "buzzed". However, according to an anti-drunk-driving commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaFeRhjd3ZE) from the Ad Council, "buzzed" driving is drunk driving; and the consequences can be just as fatal. There are countless other reasons that people choose to drive under the influence of alcohol; however, although the reasons may seem valid at the time, they are merely excuses. With the countless taxi companies that exist, there is no reason to put yourself or others at such risk.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has existed since 1980. Since it was founded, alcohol-related traffic fatalities have decreased nearly 50 percent, from over 30,000 to under 15,500 and MADD has helped save over 383,000 lives. MADD is truly dedicated to eliminating drunk driving and kicked off its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving in November 2006. The campaign consists of four elements: 1. Mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, 2. Increased law enforcement efforts, 3. Advanced vehicle technology to make it impossible for a drunk person to start a vehicle, and 4. Public support. Since its kick-off, many states have passed legislation in favor of this campaign, which means it is successful thus far.

That's all for today. In my next post, I'll be discussing one individual's story about a drunk driving situation.