DUI

In today’s modern society, it can be concluded almost all drivers
are driving under the influence. The actual definition of a DUI is
driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, but in the
United States many Americans have much more impeding their focus. It
is the stereotype that the “screenagers” of today’s world
cannot resist the temptation of social media or other distractions
while driving. While this may have some truth to it, many of them
learned these habits from those who raised them. I have seen more
adults read emails and attempt to navigate Google Maps when driving
than teenagers, who ordinarily give it to the passenger to set up.

Aux chords,
phone chargers, Spotify, Google Maps, and much more may seem like a
normal part of everyday driving; therefore do not seem dangerous to
become distracted by. The tools released in mass quantity to help you
prop your phone on your dashboard may reduce the amount of times you
must reach down to change the song, but also makes it easier to see
when someone is texting you. The need for constant entertainment by
all ages makes it hard to resist the temptation toopen the text.
Consequently, comes the need to respond, because you don’t want to
leave them hanging right? That’s when you don’t see the Stop sign
and roll right through the intersection. Luckily, no cars were around
you to cause any collisions.

These instances of “Well, that was close, but I’LL never get in
a car crash! That only happens to OTHER people” makes it difficult
to enforce safe driving. Many people of the older generation believe
that they have been driving for so long, they’ve got it down in
their sleep. I believe that the driver’s test should be retaken
more consistently, to ensure that people do not succumb to laziness
with their driving as they become more comfortable. I have seen it
far too often where a middle aged man finds himself in a minor
collision that could have been fatal, purely because he thought
driving with his knees was okay because he had been driving for so
long.

Overall, people
do not understand the power of a motor vehicle. With the ability to
go over 120 mph in a metal box that weighs a ton, there comes a great
responsibility. Far too many people die every year because of
reckless driving, it could be a van full of a family with young kids
or an older woman coming home from work. You cannot choose the
victim, but you can choose to drive responsibly so there is no victim
to begin with. The time has come for Americans to stop driving under
the influence.