What we learned from David
He knew he had to be somewhere and still decided to drink.
He was convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol.
He caused himself and his family great financial and emotional stress.
He lost his job.
The police thought they were going to find a body at the site of the crash.
How can you avoid the same outcome?
Even one drink.
One drink can affect your reaction times, coordination and vision. In some people, small amounts of alcohol can almost double reaction times.
Alcohol affects your judgment.
Alcohol can give you a false sense of confidence. The more alcohol in your body, the more impaired your judgment.
Drunk drivers are often a lot more drunk than they realize.
Beware peer pressure.
Sometimes your friends can push you to make decisions you will regret. A good friend doesn't let you drive while impaired.
Everyone is different.
How alcohol affects your body depends on a number of things, from your weight, sex and age to how much food you have eaten.
And remember: a standard drink - for example, a 12 oz glass of beer (around 5% ABV) - can stay in your system for at least an hour.
You could still be dangerously impaired driving the morning after drinking.
Five ways to avoid drunk driving
- Plan your night before you leave — how will you get home tonight?
- Don't drink alcohol if you are driving, not even one drink.
- Stick together - find friends who look after each other and don't let each other drive impaired.
- Agree on a designated driver tonight. Give them support and praise.
- Speak up if your friend wants to drive impaired — stop them.
Support and Advice
It's good to think seriously about your relationship with alcohol. If you'd like to change it, whatever that means for you, why not start with the difference you want to make?
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