…This is a recipe for disaster. Don’t mar the festivity of the holiday season with the wrong decision.
Alcohol-Free Holidays, Anyone?
This may be the statistics in the US but the truth behind it is true all over the globe. Don’t drink and drive.
This is the season of one Christmas party after another, where festivities can often blur the lines between partying and harm. So if you think that you can make the most of the holiday cheer and give yourself “just a few shots” before you get behind the wheel–well, think again.
Drunk driving is now legally punishable here in the Philippines and if that does not scare you, think of these facts:
- Alcohol slows down the reflexes and dulls motor skills, as well as weakens reasoning. Oftentimes, alcohol even makes you feel overconfident and impulsive, which is always not a good thing.
- Driving in the influence of alcohol and other substances is the number one cause of road accidents in the country.
- According to the MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority) in a study in 2012, there is an average of 227 road accidents per day, and this is largely due to drunk driving–so don’t be part of the statistics.
- The Republic Act No. 10586 or the Anti Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 imposes rules and respective punishments ranging from fines to license suspension and even up to 20 years imprisonment for drunk and drugged drivers.
So before you drunkenly get behind the wheel and put in danger yourself, your passengers and other people who are on the road, think of the consequences. Better yet, try these suggestions:
- Choose a designated driver even before you go to the party. If you are in a group, make an effort to have everyone cooperate and ensure that the designated driver does not drink any alcoholic beverages.
- If your designated driver ever gets drunk, NEVER let him or her drive and use other forms of commute instead.
- If you are driving to the party alone, consider going to the party via taxi and other means of transport. Also, get a taxi on your way home. This way, you do not have the temptation and the responsibility of driving your car.
- If you’re with a friend at a party and he or she insists on driving, hide the keys. Having a friendly spat in the name of safety will be worth it the next day than putting people’s lives in danger.
It’s always been said that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. And it’s always been true. Keeping these points in mind will help you avoid accidents that will endanger your life as well as those of the people on the road.
Recent Comments