Editorial: Drunk Driving Becoming Too Prevalent Among Students

As children, we are given plenty of advice that, while taken seriously at the time, is generally discarded by adulthood. From “Don’t cuss” to “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all,” these pieces of advice fall to the wayside to the complications and jadedness that comes with growing up. However, many childhood lessons stick with us, ones such as “Don’t hit your peers”, “Keep your clothes on in public”, and “Don’t get into a car with strangers”. Until recently, I always imagined that one of these maxims included “Don’t drive drunk”.It always made sense to me growing up, as it is dangerous, illegal, and can ruin both your life and the lives of others in a second. But I’ve realized that many of my college classmates don’t seem to understand or care about the implications of such a foolish action. I continually hear about my friend’s, coworker’s and classmate’s drunken antics that often include driving drunk or being driven drunk. Call me naïve, but I was shocked with the frequency that people I generally respect take their lives and the lives of others into their hands when intoxicated. When I express my shock at their dangerous behaviors, I am often given the gamut of excuses, from living at The Summit to not wanting to pick up their car the next day.No matter what the circumstance, there is NO excuse for such risky behavior. While it might not seem like a big deal at the time, would you be able to live with yourself knowing that you were arrested, or, god forbid, killed another person because you didn’t want to walk to your car with a hangover?According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three out of 10 Americans will be involved in alcohol-related crashes in their lives. Of those, 38 percent will lose their lives. To not recognize these severe consequences of dumb actions indicates severe immaturity and dangerous egotism, especially when there are so many alternatives to choose from. Crash on a friend’s couch, take a taxi or have a designated driver if you don’t live within walking distance. If a friend insists on driving after a night at the bars, make like this guy. You may have lost a friend for the night, but at least they didn’t lose their lives.I know that making dumb decisions is part of many people’s weekends, and I get that after one too many tequila shots your brain might be a little fuzzy, but listen to your inner child and never drive or be driven drunk. If you still feel the need to make a dumb decision, try doing the worm in the middle of Pawpurrs. You may wake up in a shame spiral, but at least you won’t wake up in the hospital.