Tips for Stopping Drinking and Driving

Drunk drivers have impacted life for my family for many generations. When my uncle, my moms brother, was 16 he decided to travel to a near by town with his parents and grandmother. At that time there was no laws against drinking and driving. The car my uncle was driving was hit by a drunk driver in a second car. My uncle was killed and the rest of those passengers were injured badly but lived. Two generations later, my cousin returning from Iraq was driving to work. On his early morning route someone returning from the bar had to much to drink and hit the car my cousin was in. My cousin like my uncle passed and the drivers survived.

So I could simply ask you to not drink or drive. The temptation is one that may be hard to avoid. Some tips that we can share with those that head out and may drink to much and by to much is if they had one drink they should not drive.

• Drink responsibly and find a designated driver Before heading out for the night be sure to have a ride home. Appointing a designated driver is important. It should be someone that can be trusted not to drink. 
• have the number of a taxi on hand. When the bar closes there may all ready be taxis waiting for those that may need a ride. If you need a cab do not think about the price it is cheaper than the alternative. 
• To assure you do not drink or drive give your keys to someone you trust that is sober. 

So you know you will not be drinking and driving. You also know that you do not want to end up a statistic like my cousin and uncle we loved so much . Here are a few tips to protect yourself.

• buckle up. Make sure your seatbelt is bucked correctly. This will help to ensure even if you are in a wreck that it may not be fatal
• Staying aware will help you to notice any erratic driving before they are in your route. A car swerving, slowing and speeding up repeatedly, or driver acting strangely are all warning signals. 
• Often wrecks that occur because of a drunk driver is because of not stopping. So when you come to intersections be extra cautions
• be careful when driving late