Drunk Driving
What could alcohol do to me? What is the big deal with drinking and driving? What could possibly go wrong? These are many of the questions teenagers in America ask today. One reason alcohol is such a problem for teenagers is because of its acceptance in today's society. The fact that alcohol is portrayed as acceptable, on television and in everyday society has made alcoholism and drunk driving a huge problem amongst teenagers and young adults today. Having recently lost a friend to a drunk driver I realize that this is unacceptable and that this issue must be addressed. There are many reasons why teenagers begin and continue to drink. One of the obvious reasons teenagers drink today is because "it is associated with good times, pleasure, and occupational and social success" ( James B. Jacobs, pg. 7). For example, drinking is a large part of many teenage parties. Many teenagers believe that they will have more fun with everyone if they drink. One freshmen at Embry-Riddle stated, "Its fun to watch everyone acting stupid [while drunk]." For many teens, the reason they drink is because drinking is associated with sex as one ERAU student commented "People drink because when your drunk and a girl is drunk
Just as there are many reasons people drink, there are also many reasons people decide to drink and drive. Even though a person who is intoxicated may see their reasons as rational, the reasons will most likely sound very irrational to someone who is sober. For example, many teenagers are afraid to let their parents know that they drink. So, instead of calling them when they or their friend cannot drive home, they decide to get behind the wheel and drive anyway. The fact that this has become such a problem among teens has caused many areas to come up with a contract. This contract is called The Contract for Life, which is signed by both teens and their parent's. In this contract, the teen agrees to call home if they need a ride. Likewise the parent agrees to pick up their child no matter where or when, without asking any questions. Another reason many teens drink and drive is because they are too drunk at the time to even consider the fact that they are not in any condition to drive. This is a much tougher problem to deal with. The reasons a person would drive drunk may sound crazy to a sober person, but sound completely reasonable to an intoxicated individual. its easier to get some ". Another reason many teenagers turn to alcohol is to reduce tension or stress. Many teens are "turning to alcohol to cope with a hard day, family problems, or bad news" ( James B. Jacobs pg. 3). Family pat
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Approximate Word count = 943
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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