There is no doubt in my mind that having a license to drive is one of the biggest privileges one can have. Having a valid driver’s license is a ticket to freedom and independence. Take a minute and imagine what it might be like if you no longer had your driver’s license. Now take another minute and think about how your life would change if you were convicted of driving while intoxicated and could no longer drive. Still, take one last moment to think of those that have lost their lives due to drunk driving, and those that have lost someone they love at the hands of a drunk driver.I am a thirty-five year old graduate student at PSU. Two years ago, I had a lucrative and promising career. I purchased my own home and things were going pretty well. Then one night I got pulled over for speeding, and my entire life changed. I had been out drinking and was arrested for drinking and driving. I cannot drive for three more years. I lost my job, had to sell my house and car, and devastated my family. I can’t drive my daughter anywhere; she will be ten years old when I get my license back. I have lost my independence, and am completely ashamed. I lost a lot. But I’m not bitter about it, because driving while intoxicated is a crime. Everyday, I give thanks that I did not kill or hurt somebody else. My punishment or consequence for being irresponsible is fitting, if not light. Drinking and driving kills. I am simply one of the lucky ones- lucky enough that I got arrested before something really terrible happened. I am taking a huge risk by telling you this, but if telling my experience keeps one person from drinking and driving, it is worth it.Let me tell you some facts about drinking and driving. The following statistics have been taken by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
– An estimated 17,500 people died in 2003 due to alcohol-related traffic accidents; an average of one death every thirty minutes- About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related accident in their lifetime- One person is injured approximately every two minutes in alcohol related accidents- Alcohol-related fatalities are caused primarily by the consumption of beer (80 percent), followed by liquor and wine (20 percent)- The highest intoxication rates in fatal crashes were recorded for drivers twenty-one to twenty-four years old (33 percent), followed by ages twenty-five to thirty-four (28 percent) and thirty-five to forty-four (25 percent).- The intoxication rate (over .08 percent BAC) for male drivers involved in fatal crashes was twenty-four percent, compared with thirteen percent for female drivers- Drunk driving statistics say that for fatal crashes occurring from midnight to three in the morning, 79 percent involved alcohol- Drunk driving is the nation’s most frequently committed violent crime, killing someone every thirty minutes- In most states, if your Blood Alcohol Content is over .08 percent and you are operating a vehicle, you are guilty of drunk driving. – In order to arrive at an .08 percent BAC, it takes a 170 pound man approximately four drinks in an hour, and a 140 pound woman three drinks an hour- Because exceeding these levels is not usually associated with normal social drinking, driving drunk can be a sign of alcoholism- If you find yourself repeatedly driving drunk, you should consider whether or not you have a problem with alcoholism
In addition to the moral consequences of drinking driving, the legal fines are very steep. It will cost me over $10,000 dollars to get my license back when all is said and done, and that doesn’t include the loss of income from my career. If you drink and drive at all, under any circumstances, you have a high risk of being arrested. Take one look at the local newspaper to see how many people are arrested per week for drinking and driving. It took ten years for me to get caught for drinking and driving. When we are in college having a good time, we don’t always think that the reality of our actions will affect us. The truth of the matter is that drinking and driving always catches up to you. It is only a matter of time. I have taken full responsibility for my actions. I no longer drink alcohol and attend AA meetings regularly. I am so thankful that I was arrested before I died or killed someone else. I would not wish being without a license on anybody, but it isn’t as bad as being charged for manslaughter or vehicular homicide.If you are going to drink, please be responsible and get a designated driver. I want you to keep your license, your freedom and independence.You can find out more about DWI – related laws and elements of arrest, as well as more facts like the ones above, at www.nh-dwi.com.