Drive safe, Insurance paperwork is a Hassle

I was very surprised to know that the number of deaths due to car crashes was higher than the number of deaths from combat. This shows how delicate life is, and how we take it for granted every single day. In college I quickly learned to not easily trust just anyone to drive even if they have their license and supposedly know the rules, because sadly a license does not mean that they respect the law. Last year, I went out for my friend’s birthday to a restaurant out in North Hollywood with a group of girls. My friend offered to drive and be the designated driver for the night. Even though I did not plan to drink, I didn’t offer to be DD because of the size of my two door car. As the night continued and we were having a good time, I noticed the DD was drinking so I asked if she would still be okay to drive us back home. She said she did not drink a lot and she would be just fine, she said she 100% was not drunk. Since I trusted her judgment and she looked fine, I didn’t see a problem. Once we were in the car going to our next destination for the night, I accidentally put the address to the wrong place. When we noticed, I apologized and did not think it would be a huge deal since it was the same store but different location. My mistake frustrated my friend because she didn’t want to be driving more than she should because of the “state she was in”. I quickly felt uncomfortable because I thought she had said she was “fine”. My friend’s driving was not concerning, but she did not want to be driving more than she should because it could increase the chances of her getting pulled over. At that moment, I didn’t really want to get upset at her and make a huge deal out of it since she was driving fine, but I’m assuming her alcohol level was higher than the legal limit. Looking back, I should have expressed my concern and should have told her that I would drive instead, to avoid an accident or her getting pulled over and getting a DUI which would taint her record forever. My friend could have been driving just fine, but the reality is that she most likely was not as aware or as capable of driving as I was since I was sober. Looking back, I get upset thinking about how she wasn’t responsible and she could have affected my life permanently and the situation could have even led to a fatal case if a car crash were to happen. After that night, I promised myself that I would never trust anyone else to be a DD especially when I am not a drinker and I am fully capable of driving myself to the function. This story isn’t to increase your trust issues, but to realize that you are only responsible for your own actions! Thankfully we all got home safe, but her actions increased the possibility of crashing and getting into a very big legal issue.

This is why I think it is important to know the consequences of a car crash and how it can affect you as well as others around you. Even if you have the financial means to get a new car, money can not buy back your ability to walk. One can know all the rules to drive, but alcohol can impair your ability to drive in a safe manner, knowing the consequences of being an impaired driver could significantly reduce the number of deaths from driving. The steps we could all take could be talking to the insurance company you are currently under to know the coverage plan you have and know how a car crash could increase your monthly payment. Researching what a DUI is and the consequences, as well as forming a plan when drinking out of home to ensure that everyone will be returning home safely. Lastly, looking around you and not taking your physical health and the lives around you for granted, one irresponsible drive could give you an insurance headache, take your physical abilities like walking away, or even lose your life. I encourage you to speak up when you see something, and help guide younger members in your life to be safe drivers by showing them how much of a privilege driving is.