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Do You Think It Matters If You Drive Buzzed?

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Impaired driving remains one of America's deadliest social problems. In 2007 nearly 13,000 drivers or motorcycle operators died in crashes with a blood alcohol level of .08 or above. (the legal limit in all states)

Most people don't plan to drive drunk, but too many find themselves at the end of the night without a designated driver. These same people will convince themselves and their friends that they are fine, they aren't drunk , just a little buzzed.

This year the U.S. Department of Transportation is expanding on the "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" campaign to include "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving". The "friends" campaign was aiming at the friend or family member to not let someone drive drunk. But the new campaign shifts the message to personal responsibility. The campaign is designed to convince the impaired driver that buzzed means that they are too impaired to drive, so give up the keys.

There Is Just NO Difference

From the Ad Council.org campaign

From An Emergency Room Nurse Point of View

Not a Pretty Picture

I work in an Emergency Room. We have so many people come in every night, the results of buzzed/drunk driving. The ruined and destroyed families are so sad. It is even difficult to take care of them. There simply are no words. The loss is immeasurable. Babies, Children, Teenagers, Mothers, Fathers, Sons, Daughters, Aunts, Uncles, Sisters, Brothers, Grandparents. There is no end to the loss and damage done.

But the real tragedy is that it is statistically rare for the buzzed/drunk driver to be the one to pay the price. Oh sure sometimes they are hurt, but it is usually the innocent victim that dies.

And tragically after the driver sobers up and realizes what has happened, many of them seem unaffected because they get right back behind the wheel of a car, impaired again.

And so many of them have had their license revoked, so the next time they are in the emergency room they are there without a license to drive, yet someone else's life has been destroyed or affected by this ignorance.

There just doesn't seem to be a way to impact this problem, except to appeal to people while they are sober. I hope it works. I wouldn't mind having less to do at work.

Drunk or impaired driving killed nearly 13,000 people in 2007.
That's one person every 40 minutes.
That makes it everyone's problem.

Ad Council Quote

Amazing Tragedies Result, Remorse Is Hoped For

From the Ad Council.org Campaign

Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving

30 second video with a powerful message. Pay Attention!

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Hello, My name is Susan. I am a registered nurse for 40+ years, currently working in radiology medicine.I am also a baby boomer and proud of it. I am an... more »

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