The problem with drinking and driving starts with irresponsible teens who are often not reminded of the dangers of this reckless behavior. Over thirteen percent of twelfth graders reported driving after drinking. Thirty three percent of the young drivers ages fifteen to twenty who were killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration of .01 or higher and twenty eight percent had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher which is the legal limit for people over the age of twenty one. Many teens feel the pressure of drinking at a young age and this event causes them to make impaired decisions like drinking and driving that could cause life changing occurrences or even death.
One way we can combat this problem of drinking and driving is informing younger ages of the dangers. I think many children in middle school are unaware of just how many teens drink and drive. Middle school and your early teen years are the most influential time in your life and is shaped by how you give in to peer pressure. I think more time needs to be put in to tell kids that it is fine to say no to your friends or to find new friends if they do not believe in the same things as you. Early teens need to be more aware of the dangerous situations and the frequent habits that older teens develop. Bringing more awareness and attention to these issues at an earlier age will show children that it is acceptable to make good choices and stand up for yourself while dealing with others' participation in reckless behavior.
Another problem is distracted or reckless driving. I have been distracted while driving in the past, but I recognize my mistakes and I am starting to take the proper steps to improve my actions while driving. It is very important to me that my friends respect my beliefs and know that it is wrong to distract the driver. I am now able to stand up for myself and ask my friends to not distract me while I am driving. I also know that it is appropriate to not drive people who are not going to respect my requests. Additionally, I now drive with my music at a reasonable volume to allow me to hear the different sounds of other motor vehicles around me. These steps that I am taking will help me to be a more responsible driver on the road.
In conclusion, it is important to recognize the mistakes you may be making behind the wheel. It is even more imperative that you try to fix your mistakes to prevent bigger issues from occurring in the future. By realizing that distracted and drunk driving is a big issue in younger and older drivers alike people can already begin to change their actions on the road. I will continue to drive responsibly and educate others on ways that they can improve their driving.