Have you heard this drunk driving scenario before?
Susan had been waiting to go to University of Louisiana since she was a little girl. Both her parents went to UL and she’d been cheering for the Ragin’ Cajuns for as long as she can remember. When senior year of high school came around she knew she was only going to apply to one place: University of Louisiana. She didn’t know what to expect for college life until she arrived that fall. She didn’t have any siblings; the only thing she really knew about college was the stuff she had seen on television. When she was invited to her first party she was thrilled but she’d never drank alcohol before.
She opened up her first beverage and started drinking; before she knew it she’d finished four beers. She felt wobbly and knew it was time to leave so Susan headed back to her dorm room and ran into a couple of new friends. They confronted her about wanting food but also knew that she was the only one with a car. Reluctantly she agreed to drive her new friends. As they were driving down the road the music was bumping and everyone was laughing. A turn was ahead and but she wasn’t prepared; before she knew it the car flipped over and all of the laughs turned to screams.
Unfortunately, for many college students this drunk driving accident scenario is all too real.
Drunk driving is a huge problem across the nation, especially amongst college students. It is actually the most frequently committed crime. According to WVU, thirty percent of adults will be in an alcohol related accident during their lifetime. For college students alone — 1,700 will die every year because of alcohol related accidents.
Why is that number so high? Probably because according to College Drinking Prevention, 3,360,000 students have admitted that they have driven under the influence of alcohol. According to Science Daily, within the last month 25 percent of students have admitted that they have driven while intoxicated.
For a person’s first offense of a DUI in Louisiana, they could spend between two days to six months in jail, have a $1,000 fine, and their license could be suspended for 180 days. Worse still are the consequences caused by injury or death to another person and his or her family.
At the Law Offices of Matt & Allen, we help families obtain financial compensation after this kind of injury and death causing tragedy. We fight for their interests. More than that, though, we help others avoid this tragedy. Because we’ve seen, firsthand, the devastating effects of drunk-driving crashes, we remain vigilant in advocating against drunk driving. We encourage you to speak to your family members about driving safety. We especially encourage you to speak to your college-bound teens about the consequences of alcohol and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Understanding Why People Drink and Drive
Not surprisingly alcohol has a huge impact on our decision making process. When someone consumes alcohol their ability to process and make informed decisions is compromised. Once alcohol seeps into your frontal lobe, where decision-making occurs, you no longer have the control that you had before that drink.
Another reason why people believe that they can drink and drive is because they feel invincible. This is especially true for college students, including some students at the University of Louisiana. Young and fearless, they’re not afraid of getting behind the wheel after a few sips of alcohol.
Use a Designated Driver
The sad thing with drinking and driving accidents are that they can typically be prevented. Nobody is making that driver get behind the wheel. There are ways to have fun while also staying safe and on the passenger side. If you are going out with a group you can also designate a sober driver. This way you can stay safe while having fun.
College is both an exciting and strange time. May people are having their first taste of freedom from their parents. They may feel the need to let loose. There is nothing wrong with this, but it’s important that students take the necessary steps to stay safe.
If your loved one has been in a car accident involving a drunk driver and has incurred injuries–no matter how minor–contact the personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Matt & Allen.
Photo Credit: Eva Rinaldi via Compfight cc
