You’ve had a few drinks, and the party is coming to an end. People ask you if you need someone to drive you home, and you brush it off, because you know how to drive.
They ask again, and you become defensive, because after all, you driven yourself home plenty of times and you did so safely. This time will be no different.
You think you can handle it. A few drinks later and you believe that driving will be no big deal.
Sure, you can make it home. You don’t live too far away. It’s just a few miles. Just a few red lights. Just a little bit further. You know how to drive, and you didn’t drink that much.
You grab the keys. Maybe even offer to drive someone else home. I’m fine, you say, and on your way you go.
You seem to be able to walk okay, and to talk, so what’s the difference with driving. You open the car door, and climb inside. Put the keys in the ignition, and turn on the car.
Your friends climb inside the car as well. They trust you, but after all, they’ve had a few drinks themselves, so their judgment is the same as yours.
You go on your way. You’re doing fine. See, I can do this, you tell yourself.
No matter how good of a driver you are, you are not capable of driving a vehicle while intoxicated. It doesn’t matter if you’ve driven home safely three times, all it takes is a fourth and everything changes.
Just because you are not stumbling as you walk. Just because you can have a full conversation doesn’t mean you are not intoxicated. Just because you aren’t acting drunk, does not mean it’s safe for you to get behind the wheel.
All it takes is one time. One split second and everything can change.
Suddenly, you’ve hit a pedestrian because it was too dark, and by the time you saw her crossing the street, your reflexes were not fast enough.
The woman was married, with a two sons. Her youngest son just had his second birthday.
You started seeing double, and you ran into oncoming traffic. You hit a car, with an elderly man inside. He was on his way to his granddaughter’s high school graduation.
You are risking the lives of so many people by grabbing those keys. Some you may even know.
You ran a red light. You hit a vehicle that had your little sister in it. She was barely 16.
Even yourself. You ran off the road, and hit a tree, head on. You were only coming home from a party. You were only trying to get home without relying on someone else.
You were driving under the influence of something that has the potential to risk so many lives.
You risked so many lives.
Before drinking and driving, remember who could be in the other car. Your mom. Your dad. Your sister. Your brother. Your aunt. Your uncle. Your grandfather. Your grandmother. Your teacher. Your pastor. Your best friend. Your girlfriend. Your boyfriend. Your wife. Your husband. Your cousin.
A stranger, who is someone to someone.
You are also in the car. Your life matters too.
Twenty-two years ago, someone took the keys, and drove when they shouldn’t have. Because of that person, lives in my family were changed forever. My grandmother no longer had her husband. My dad and my aunt no longer had a father. The future-me, no longer had a grandfather.
All because someone thought they were invincible.
Don't make the same mistake that person did. Don't drive under the influence.
