Every 53 minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk driving accident according to dosomething.org. In addition, every 90 seconds someone is injured because of a drinking and driving incident. Roughly one-third of these numbers are teens, ages 16-19.

In 2010, 211 teens were killed due to drunk driving; 62% of them were passengers.

Losing a family member or a close friend is hard enough; envision losing one to something like drunk driving and it was not their fault. Imagine going to a party with your friend and you are all drinking, the party ends and now it is time to go home, but you do not make it there. Let’s say you crash and you are the driver, with four passengers and the four of them are killed, but you are just injured. How are you going to explain to four families that you were driving under the influence and killed their family member, even if they were under the influence as well? Now you can be convicted for a DUI, underage drinking and four deaths on the count of you. To drink and drive alone is horrible enough, but to put other innocent lives in your hands as well is pathetic.

Life is already too short, and for a life to be taken because of someone else’s mistakes is just ridiculous.

“In 2010, 211 teens were killed due to drunk driving; 62% of them were passengers.”

Passengers that are aware of the driver being drunk are just as guilty as the driver. To get in the car knowing that they are drunk or have been drinking, is basically asking for something bad to happen, whether it is an injury, arrest, or death.

One drink is too many drinks to drive. No matter if you have only had one cup or if you have five cups, buzzed driving is drunk driving and could lead to the same results. Your mind is not in its right state either way.

There is nothing that can justify drinking and driving, and if you are around someone drinking and they are trying to drive somewhere, take their keys and call them a cab. Or even let them stay the night with you, a night of them sleeping there or catching a cab late in the night is much better and way more safe, than to them to drink and drive.