Greetings, Interwebs!
It has been a long, long time since I've written anything here, and it's entirely possible that no one will read this except the ghosts which haunt this site. (As an aside, I'm really sorry, but by navigating here, it's entirely possible that you may have opened a gateway to the netherworld. Something about an ancient voodoo curse and not disturbing the remains of a priest - are religious voodoo figures called priests? - but there's good news! Typically, you'll probably only get a ghost or two, maybe a banshee, and although the paranormal screaming can get tiresome, they'll typically only eat a snack or two, have a drink, and then they'll be out of your hair. Just make sure to tuck them in before you go to bed, or they get maaaaaaaaad. Trust me.)
That was a long aside.
The reason why I'm writing today and breaking communication silence is in support of a dear friend who's in an ongoing battle with Getting-Hit-by-a-Drunk-Driver-itis. If you want to see her story, you can go here or here. Personally, I don't have much of a connection to drunk driving....wait, let me try that again. I don't have much of a connection to those that have been affected by drunk driving outside of my aforementioned friend, so I can't relate personal experiences on how this has affected me. I've been able to observe my friend's recovery from a distance, but that's about it. So instead of trying to share some heart warming anecdote, I'm going to simply share a few thoughts I have on the matter.
Not to be over-simplistic or anything, but it really is just stupid. The only real reason I can see for people to get behind the wheel while intoxicated (in any form) is their own pride. People think that they can handle their alcohol (or other substance), and some may even think it would be a sign of weakness to call a cab or arrange for a designated driver. Others may be embarrassed by what they've put in their body, and if they can fool themselves into thinking they're sufficiently cognizant to drive, perhaps they'll continue to fool those around them into thinking they don't have a problem. Perhaps they have some sort of person vendetta against the leprechauns that only appear when they're intoxicated, and so by drinking, it gives them their only chance to track down the leprechaun king and bring this madness to an end...finally. I really don't know the reasons why someone would drive while intoxicated, and I'm not going to pretend to understand someone's motivation for doing so, but really...it needs to end.
I don't know any statistics on drunk driving fatalities. I can't cite references that would go into the neurological effects of intoxication and how it affects cognition. All I know is that I don't drink, none of my closest friends drink, and I rarely have any interaction with those who have been drinking; however, I have still witnessed the effects of drunk driving.
My only wish is that people would sincerely take a step back before planning a night out and take the necessary precautions. Even if you feel capable of driving, there's no shame in being overly cautious. One false move could change not only your life, but the lives of who knows how many people in an instant. If you ever wonder how long a second can last, just ask those who have been involved in an accident where a loved one was injured - fatal or not.
In the mean time, let's continue to spread awareness. Everyone may know it's a problem, but we need to inundate society with this message so that it reaches even those who are the most deaf to it can't help but hear.
