WAYS TO PREVENT DRUNK DRIVING
Preventing drinking and driving is a graver issue than people realize. As a matter of fact, 32 roadway deaths per day are being reported on average according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) due to inebriation. And that is because there are much too many drunk drivers on the road.
It may even exceed the figures written on the reports of governmental organizations. While there are over a million drunk driving arrests made each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contends that this is only a small sample of all drunk drivers on the road. In short, there are more drunk drivers on the road than we realize.
Which then begs the question: how can drunk driving be prevented?
By the end of this blog, we hope that readers can hold themselves accountable by not drinking and driving. While there are many ways in which they can prevent themselves from doing so, we are listing five of what we believe are tangible and easy things they can do towards reducing DUI fatalities. Here are some of them:
1. Use rideshare services
Using rideshare services like Uber or Lyft is a good way to prevent drunk driving, especially if you’re going to a function where alcohol is present. Even if you don’t plan to drink, this plan of yours may fall through at the last minute. Before you know it, you’re dowsing yourself in liquor.
Err on the side of caution anyway and strategize your commutes accordingly. Ubering or Lyfting seems as good a plan as any. While it may be the less economical option compared to driving, it’s a fool proof way of guaranteeing that you won’t get behind the wheel drunk.
2. Don’t be the designated driver
The designated driver or the “D.D.” is responsible for driving a group of people to and from the function. If you plan on drinking, do not volunteer to be the designated driver for the sake of your and your friends’ safety.
Driving while inebriated poses a risk of catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. Aside from bearing the brunt of all the physical maladies you may have to endure due to an accident, you’re going to be responsible for the injuries —worse, death — of your friends.
So, we can’t overstate this enough: do not be responsible for other people’s lives if you know you won’t be able to handle it!
3. Give your keys to your friend
When you’re drunk, you often underestimate just how wasted you actually are. It’s entirely possible (very likely actually) that your inebriation could cloud your judgment even though you think that you’re well enough to drive.
To save lives, a simple act of giving your keys to your less inebriated friend (ideally the host of the party) is effective in preventing you from drinking and driving. They would be a lot more level-headed in helping you make wise decisions.
4. Know your limits and hydrate
If you have driven to the function and just so happened to find yourself with a drink in your hand, then it’s best if you drink moderately and caution against leaving too early. You must know your limits and hydrate as much as possible. Doing both of these things help lower the blood alcohol content level, sobering you up just in time for when you have to drive home.
This, however, isn’t a foolproof plan. For one, the alcohol served may have a higher alcohol content percentage than expected, and it’s entirely possible that you could miscalculate and still end up pretty drunk by the end of the night. So if you do end up drinking, it’s best if you ask the host if you can… (see #5)
5. Spend the night
As tip #4 subtly hints at, it’s best to ask the host if you can spend the night. Barring specific circumstances, responsible hosts or hostesses usually already take into account that some of their guests would be too drunk to drive. They would most likely be open to at least letting you spend the night on the couch.
Of course, be considerate and don’t overextend your welcome. Best practice is asking them prior to coming to the party if they’re willing to open the space for you to sleep in —at least until you wait for your drunkenness to subside.
Call Omega Law Group
But no matter how sober you are and how carefully you abide by the aforementioned advice, there will be someone out there who will nevertheless deliberately disregard their safety and others on the road. Because of this, you could still unfortunately get hit by a drunk driver. If this happens, that would make you prone to life-altering injuries.
You will then need the help of a drunk accident attorney to recover the compensation you deserve —the best one specifically. You will need to call Omega Law Group.
The team at Omega Law Group consist of highly skilled and experienced legal professionals who are qualified to seek justice on your behalf. They are empathetic to the unique circumstances of each of their clients and will work towards personalizing their services to meet their individual needs.
With over millions of dollars accrued in compensation, the strides they’ve made in the personal injury field have been subject to a headlining story at the Los Angeles Business Journal as well as a feature at the Los Angeles Times. For Omega’s continued dedication to innovate, they’ve been hailed as one of the “Most Admired Firms” by the former publication.
The drunk driving accident attorneys of Omega Law have also garnered a myriad of accolades from industry-vetted organizations like SuperLawyers.com as well as Best Lawyers, with the latter billing them as one of the best in 2023.
No matter the prestige they’ve earned for themselves, they are still grounded in giving legal services to their clients regardless of their financial circumstances. They still operate on a contingency fee basis so as to not burden them with upfront legal fees that would otherwise bar them from getting the legal care they deserve.