Awareness is the answer

In Pulaski County, 35 percent of motor-related accidents are due to the influence of alcohol, and Arkansas has a drunk driving death rate of 6.3 per every 100,000, making it the 13th most dangerous state in terms of DUI related accidents. According to the Arkansas State Police, there has been an average of 100 alcohol-related fatalities every year over the past 10 years. This is a pressing topic that should not be overlooked, and the necessary steps should be taken to prevent more drunken driving fatalities.

This is a problem with an easy solution: awareness. More people should be educated about alcohol and the dangers of driving in an intoxicated state. There are many outlets in which awareness could be made such as mass media campaigns or educational programs in schools, churches, hospitals, etc. The programs could be specifically catered to certain subtopics, such as how much alcohol one can consume before reaching a certain blood alcohol content (BAC) level, or how to get home if one is already drunk. School programs could teach teens to not ride with drunk drivers and inform them of the possible consequences if something were to happen. Driver’s license handbooks, one of the most read books in the nation, could include a few pages about drinking and driving, the consequences, and how to react in a situation involving drunk peers.

Drunken driving negatively affects the lives of family and friends and causes uneasiness to those driving and to those at home wondering if their loved one(s) will get home safely. There is always a chance of traffic accidents and the reduction of drunk drivers on the roads of Arkansas would bring peace and ease to everyone. Isabel Han Hot Springs