Drunk Driving Argumentative Essay

            Introduction

Thousands of lives globally are lost due to drunk driving. In today’s society substance abuse is considered to be a major social and economic issue as it negatively affects every person in one way or another. The most consumed or abused drug based on its legal status is alcohol and its effects are rather hazardous and severe to the global future. Drunk driving is now accounted to be amongst the leading death causes worldwide (AIC 1). Drunk driving is a phrase that is directly related to alcohol consumption while and vehicle driving afterward. Major authorities globally prohibits alcohol consumption in combination to vehicles driving given that it not only disclosures the drivers to danger but also other road users. Based on the recent studies the highest drunk driving deaths and injuries affect young people amid 17 and 25 years (AIC 1). Regardless of a number of regulations measure’s implementation, drunk driving remains to be a crucial evil that is developing at an alarming rate. This paper will thus, seek to analyze drunk driving as a socio-economic problem, its potential causes, effects and recommend feasible solutions.

Explanation of Causes

Drunk driving is an issue that calls for urgency. It can best be defined as a careless and illogical driving that is influenced by low or zero capacity to making the right judgment of the roads. Socio-economic and peer pressure are the leading drunk driving causes (Bonnie 4). Young persons have the tendency of participating in excessive alcohol consumption in combination to driving based on the necessity to outstand among their peers while taking the risk. It is obvious that those engaged in drunk driving will offer undying excuses for their actions. However, people are solely responsible for their actions and in this context, they tend to settle at poor decisions under social and peer pressure. Individuals today in the world that encourages individuality are vulnerable to this fate (Bonnie 4). Most of the young person’s think that driving under influence is less risky if one has adequate experience and the undoubtedly driving skills. It is, however, unfortunate to note that drunk driving has no kind of expertise and everyone is exposed to the associated dangers.

In addition to impressing peers, young individuals drive while drunk as a way of getting attention or rebelling based on the busy nature of their parents. The economy has created significant push on parents by requiring them to work for longer periods (Bonnie 6). This, therefore, ensures that there is less active engagement amid children and parents and most young individuals opt to rebel in order to gain their attention or in the quest of eliminating their anguish and sad feelings. Middle-class persons also choose to engage in the risky behaviors, based on research, middle-class individuals are equally guilty as the young people. This is caused by the intense pressure they acquire to the acquisition of economic and social excellence. They will often drink as they head home as a general strategy of forgetting and relieving the excessive stresses that affect their performance (Bonnie 6). These reasons do not make their behaviors to be right given that alcoholism only makes the situation worst and only works for the short run.

Another probable cause is curiosity and upbringing. Growing up in families where drinking is considered to be okay shapes individuals behaviors and perception by labeling the behavior as right (Fairfield 1). Making fresh discovery has grown to be a communal trend today and everyone attempts to make their own discoveries. Based on this curiosity, there is a universal belief that drunk driving is not wrong when performed for short distances and within roads that are less complex and have low traffic rate. Drunk driving is actually caused by distracted or careless driving. Some traffic roads need careful attention given that most have locations which have been categorized as death spots. Being drunk, therefore, implies that one has reduced attentiveness which leads to fatal deaths and injuries. Intoxication alters the capability to make suitable judgments in regard to the necessary speed and reactions which lead to inappropriate or inaccurate responses and over speeding (Fairfield 1). It cannot be questioned that over speeding is hazardous.

Explanation of Effects

Drunk driving is very dangerous and it is an act that individuals settle for not on an ethical basis, but mainly because they are fully oblivious of the resulting outcomes. Drunk driving is particularly, linked to both social and economic effects. To begin with, it results in emotional destruction and social instability (Fairfield 1). Fatal road calamities normally take individuals lives which refute the will of the family members to sustaining relations. This leads to grieving given that the society is subjected to unsuspected loss. In addition, it becomes particularly emotionally and financially expensive for the society because the injured persons require comprehensive care and costly health treatment which drains families not only financially but emotionally too. A significant number of people within the affected families are forced to abandon their dreams and economic activities in order to give undivided attention to the victims based on the intense dependency rate (Klaas 1). Most of these individuals or the victims are usually the primary family providers which mean that the families will ultimately be subjected to poverty due to the financial sources loss.

Drunk driving affects the economy by resulting in less productivity within the working world. In that, most organizations lose their productive people to deaths and injuries which affect the operative abilities. In this context families, employers and colleagues are highly affected because despite the emotional anguish they are forced to engage in expensive health spending (Bartley 30). Productivity loss based on the growing economic demands is a major development strain because the performance is affected negatively. Low economic potential reduces national development power given that governments are forced to spend much revenue on healthcare services as well as awareness campaigns in the quest of educating them in regard to the probable outcomes. Instead of utilizing revenue on developments most of it is utilized in these operations caused by ignorant and reckless persons (Bartley 30). In other words, the drunk driving tendency might result in numerous harmful and demoralizing consequences.

Major Considerations and Statistics

Drunk driving is not a new concern rather it has been in existence for decades (Klaas 1). Despite the existence of laws there, it is argued that the measures are ineffective as the issue is still on the rise. It is accounted that in America, more than 16,000 persons die annually while close to 7000,000 persons are subjected to fatal and minor injuries from drunk driving accidents (Bartley 33). It has been established that alcohol is the major traffic accidents cause today which accounts for about 45 percent of all the accidents. When one is guilty of drunk driving the measures and the penalty seems to be rather very reliant which leads to more individuals accounting as repetitive offenders. The drinking age in the most state is 21 years something that seems to be resisting the young generation while increasing curiosity given that most accidents occur amid young person amid 17 and 25 years (Orcutt and David 206). Drunk driving should not be encouraging given its devastating nature something that will increase in the future if not properly addressed.

Solutions

Based on the destructive drunk driving effects it is essential to consider viable solutions in order to eliminate the tendency and lower traffic accidents. Despite acquiring an improvement in eliminating drunk driving the existing measures ought to be transformed. In that one is only arrested after failing to pass the sobriety test which leads to a monetary penalty (Lerner 14). These laws are particularly ineffective especially for the young individuals given that they promote this behavior as the penalties are fair. The first most feasible solution that is recommended is education which will serve in creating awareness and familiarity of the issue. In that people should be made to understand that their decisions have negative consequences. Having a designated driver is another solution. In that, it will not only protect the drunk persons but also the road users. A designated driver can be chosen or taking a taxi after drinking to enhance safety (Mendralla and Janet 16). Another solution is reducing the alcohol consumption rate to sustain and protect soberness. In that driving necessitates soberness which can best be acquired with reduced intoxication.

Conclusion

In summing up, drunk driving is a growing issue in the modern world which necessitates immediate and feasible solutions. Apparently, most of the road deaths and injuries are caused by drunk driving. Despite the achievement that has been achieved worldwide the issue is intensifying. This is an issue that is caused by ignorant decisions that are not grounded on ethics but the negligence of the accompanying results. This issue can, however, be resolved by education, which will seek to change individuals attitudes and behaviors and settling for responsibility.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

AIC. Effective Drink Driving Prevention and Enforcement Strategies: Approaches to Improving Practice. 2014. Retrieved from http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/461-480/tandi472.html

Bartley, Graham P. Traffic Accidents: Causes and Outcomes. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2008. Print.

Bonnie, Richard J, and Mary E. O'Connell. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2003. Print.

Fairfield, Hannah. Young Drivers and Alcohol: A Deadly Mix. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/science/young-drivers-and-alcohol-a-deadly-mix.html

Klaas, Perri. When Teenagers Drink, Avoiding The Risks From Driving.2017. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/27/well/family/when-teenagers-drink-avoiding-the-risks-from-driving.html

Lerner, Barron H. One for the Road: Drunk Driving Since 1900. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011. Internet resource.

Mendralla, Valerie, and Janet Grosshandler. Drinking and Driving, Now What?New York: Rosen Pub, 2012. Print.

Orcutt, James D, and David R. Rudy. Drugs, Alcohol, and Social Problems. Lanham, Md. [u.a.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. Print.

 

 

 

Drunk Driving Argumentative Essay

Outline

1. Introduction

            Thousands of lives globally are lost due to drunk driving. In today’s society substance abuse is considered to be a major social and economic issue as it negatively affects every person in one way or another. The most consumed or abused drug based on its legal status is alcohol and its effects are rather hazardous and severe to the global future. Drunk driving is now accounted to be amongst the leading death causes worldwide.

1. Explanation of Causes

Peer and Socio-Economic Pressure

Young persons have the tendency of participating in excessive alcohol consumption in combination to driving based on the necessity to outstand among their peers while taking the risk.

Curiosity and Upbringing

Growing up in families where drinking is considered to be okay shapes individuals behaviors and perception by labeling the behavior as right

• Explanation of Effects

Emotional loss

Financial strains

Deaths

Unrepairable injuries

1. Major considerations and statistics
2. Existing laws – the existing measures are accounted as ineffective.
3. Statistics – drunk driving accounts for about 45 percent of traffic accidents.
4. Solutions

Adjust the existing laws

Implement heavy penalties such as license renouncing

Awareness and education campaigns

1. Conclusion

            Drunk driving is a growing issue in the modern world which necessitates immediate and feasible solutions. Apparently, most of the road deaths and injuries are caused by drunk driving. Despite the achievement that has been achieved worldwide the issue is intensifying.