As a society, we’ve come a long way to reduce the prevalence of driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol, but we still have a long way to go, and statistics are showing that we may have plateaued out, as DWI related crashes are not dropping significantly any more. We all know how dangerous it is to drive after drinking, so why do we continue to do it?

To me there are two “alibies” that drivers rely on. First, they believe that even though they have consumed alcohol, they still have the ability to drive safely without incident. This is just not true. Alcohol affects the normal reasoning of people, or the ability to recognize that they may have a problem operating a motor vehicle. Thus, they falsely “believe” they are sober enough to drive.

Secondly they believe that the chances that they will encounter an enforcement officer are very slim. This may be somewhat true — I have seen statistics (see third bullet below) that say for every driver that gets caught, 80 to 85 other DUI drivers get away scott-free.

To try to understand just how dangerous driving after drinking is, check out these facts from “dosomething.org” and from MADD. Remember, facts and statistics vary with every survey, and thus the true numbers may vary slightly,     but nevertheless these numbers will be close to what is really happening. And, remember, the reality of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs remain firm.

In the U.S. alone, 28 people die every day as a result of drunk-driving crashes.

Nearly one-third of traffic crashes, including teens, involve the use of alcohol or another substance.

Before their first arrest, it’s estimated that a drunk driver will have driven at least 80 times under the influence of alcohol.

Every 90 seconds someone in the US is injured from a drunk-driving crash.

Approximately one in three 8th graders has tried alcohol.

The average cost of a DUI conviction in New York State is $10,000.

It’s estimated that one in three people will be involved in a drunk-driving crash in their lifetime.

So, drivers are you ready to commit to never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or will you continue to believe you will be able to drive without any difficulty even though you have consumed alcohol or taken some other drug? Think about your actions, and don’t be in denial that it can’t happen to you. No driver expects to get into a crash or be stopped by enforcement when driving after alcohol, but it happens every day. Drunk driving is totally preventable — do one or the other but not both. Where do you stand?

For more information on drinking and driving, go to  or the Franklin County STOP-DWI Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Franklin-County-Stop-DWI-683784021708151. You may also visit the Traffic Safety Board website at www.franklincony.org and go to Traffic Safety Board under “Departments. Visit us on Facebook as well.