Education is always valuable
As written for Not Your Child Corp.
I think just about everyone you speak with will tell you that drinking and driving is not only illegal but it can and has ruined lives. Not just the lives of those who drove after drinking, but also their family, friends, and the innocent public. We’ve learned this in school at very young ages and continue learning more as we get older. But when is education too much? Can it be? It can’t be enough because the problem still exists.
Sometimes it takes a while before the information sets in. There may be some people who don’t believe it will happen to them. It can and it may if they don’t take this topic seriously. Growing up there may be outside sources that contradicted the facts about just how alcohol consumption affects us, especially while driving. It could have been the opinion of influential friends, family members, or even views from social media that gave some people the impression that they can still drive safely after drinking alcohol. That’s not always the case.
I remember learning a lot about alcohol and impaired driving when I was very young and I continued learning about it while in high school. Maybe it was too much at certain times because everyone I knew had the information many times over. They knew it was dangerous and illegal but the information seemed to fall on deaf ears.
I had known someone who had a lifetime ban from driving because they got behind the wheel of a vehicle drove impaired, crashed their vehicle, and killed their best friend who was a passenger in the vehicle. They knew drinking and driving was wrong, yet they decided to do it anyway. Why? Their judgment was impaired by alcohol.
It can be that simple. Making a logical decision when you’re incapable of doing so makes no sense whatsoever. The decision to drive has to be made well before you consume that first alcoholic drink. Think of it like auto insurance. You can’t buy insurance to protect you, your passengers, and your vehicle after you’ve been involved in a collision to cover the costs of that collision. You need this ahead of time.
You need to make early choices so you can avoid the temptation of driving after drinking. This is when you’ve got a clear mind and can make logical decisions. There are so many choices to make that can allow you to avoid impaired driving altogether. These include leaving your vehicle at home and finding another way to and from that event. You can use a ride-share, a taxi, a designated driver, or public transportation. There may be the option of spending the night at that friend’s house so you won’t have to drive.
Many people may not plan to drink much or at all but something changes and they begin consuming alcohol. Now what should you do? Knowing whether you should or should not drive has to come from something more than just a feeling you’re having or the opinion of others, including those who may have been drinking as well. You need proof that an alternative way home is the solution. That’s where breathalyzers from Not Your Child Corp come in.
They offer individual and single-use breathalyzers that can be used quite easily and quickly as the event continues. This will allow you to make more logical choices of how you’re going to get home in case you have not had the opportunity to make plans ahead of time. When you think of it, these breathalyzers can become part of the new normal in your socializing life. Your friends and family will appreciate this decision and you will appreciate this new education.