Everybody knows it’s bad, but it’s still one of the main issues on the road. 1 in every 2000 car journeys is done under the influence of alcohol! But why is drink driving still an issue, are there underlying problems, or is it just a blanket issue that affects everyone?
Social Functions
We’ve all been there, you’ve thought that “only one more” drink would be fine, and you feel okay. But, by having one more, this could turn into another one after that, and before you know it, your judgement is severely impaired, or worse, you could get injured in an accident, because you’ve been drink driving! It’s something that we all face on occasion, but it’s about willpower more than anything else.
Age Groups
The most common age group to get into an accident because of drink driving is between 18 and 25. This throws up so many different issues on the road. Peer pressure is one of those things that doesn’t leave you as soon as you get in the car; it’s something that can taint your entire life. And while peer pressure might sound like something relegated to the schoolyard, every single one of us has experienced it in one form or another.
Inexperience On The Road
This doesn’t just boil down to youth; this can encompass various factors, such as an over-reliance on in-car tech. It does appear that because there is a lot more in the way of sophisticated functions in every automobile, we can feel, to an extent, we don’t need to do as much work behind the wheel. The one great example of this is the number of people that get into car crashes because they were too busy looking at their GPS. People were looking at that and gradually veered into the side of another car. As we get more experience on the road, we begin to identify certain types of drivers, but when you’ve just passed your test, or you’re getting back behind the wheel after a long time, you might not have that relevant experience. This makes for a cocktail of lazy driving and poor judgement, both of which can result in a bad accident.
So what is the solution? We’ve seen so many advertising campaigns showing the dangers of drink driving, is there anything else that can be done? It seems that instead of focusing on the negative impacts and scaring drivers, it may be more about instilling common sense. Really, it’s down to you, and if you are stupid enough to have a few drinks and then get behind the wheel, you will learn your lesson the hard way! But if you have to go out and drink, leave the car at home, and think about other ways in which to get back at the end of the night. The big problem is drink driving that if we get away with it once, we try it again and again. The solution is to not try your luck in the first place.