By: Ashley Argabrite
I have been deeply impacted by the consequences of impaired driving. I am fully cognitive of the ability to drive while drunk, cause harm, and not even remember it. Two of my very close friends were hit head-on by a drunk driver. They were both rushed to the hospital, and the driver never even remembered hitting them at all. One of them was able to survive while the other was not. There is not a single day that goes by where I do not think about them and the traumatic event they went through. Everyday I wonder what we would be doing as friends if one person didn’t make the mistake to drive while he was drunk. I am deeply hurt by the way things have turned out, but I am also more aware of the severity of impaired driving, and that’s why I choose to spread awareness about it. My eyes have become more open to how common these deaths occur, and also how unnecessary they are. I have changed in a way that has helped me help others and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn when most people don’t. Most people don’t realize how impaired they are after drinking even just a few drinks. They may think they are fine and that they are sober enough to drive, but doing so puts their lives and other innocent lives at risk. It is a terrible burden to live with the thought that ones carelessness and mistake has led to many deaths on the road. It is important for teenagers and growing children to learn the consequences of impaired driving because if we teach them at a younger age and show them the statistics of the incidents they will learn not to drink and drive. I believe if we teach them young and as they grow we can reduce the amount of drinking and driving crashes and deaths on the road.
Ashley is also a Collegiate Advisory Board member>
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