Essay Sample on Teen Drinking and Driving: A Deadly Combination

Introduction

Drinking and driving is still a problem for the teenagers. Teenagers are still young and can hardly bear the effects of alcohol in the body once they have taken it. In most occasions, alcohol tends to trigger the mind of the teenager to a situation they known as being drunk. The teenagers are affected by alcohol to an extent where they lose control over their faculties and behavior. In this case, it becomes difficult to maintain a steady activity and it is even more dangerous when they are involved in activities that require much attention such as driving (Endriulaitiene et al, 2018). This argumentative essay will argue the point that drinking and driving is still an issue for the teenagers.

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Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol affects the brain of the teenager where the impacts are either depressing or stimulating. It is dependent on the quantity that is consumed. In every way, the results of drinking alcohol are that there is impairment which then increases the likelihood of a crash because it produces poor judgment, increased time of reaction, lower rates of vigilance, and there is visual acuity (Bingham et al, 2015). For a teenager, their brain is less developed compared to that of adults, and they are unable to sustain the impact of alcohol.

Another impact of alcohol on the body is that it lowers the blood pressure as well as depressing consciousness and respiration. It impairs judgment and increases the risk of a crash. Majority of accidents that happen at night involve drunk drivers. Vision of alcoholic individual also deteriorates and they are unable to see the road clearly when driving. Alcohol affects other aspects of safety for the driver in terms of wearing the seatbelt, using helmets and the choice of speed.

The Law on Drinking and Driving

The law does not support drinking and driving. An example is the California which has a zero tolerance law. According to federal law, the maximum blood alcohol concentration legal for drivers under 21 is set at 0.01% and it is illegal for anyone under the age of 2 to purchase or possess alcohol (Shults, Olsen & Williams 2015). Therefore it is illegal for them to drink, buy, possess and attempt to transport alcohol (Shults et al 2015).

Teenagers using fake IDs to buy alcohol is illegal as it is expected that they have not attained age to receive an Identity Card. Furthermore, according to law anyone under 21 caught driving under the influence of alcohol will face suspension of license or revocation for one to three years and prosecution - even if no driving was involved at all! Teens count as minors so any offense related to alcohol could lead to suspension for up to one year even without driving involved.

Why Drinking is Still an Issue

Drinking is still an issue because teenagers remain adamant. Teenagers think that they are cool with drinking and driving (Scott-Parker, 2017). Majority of them will prefer drinking then driving because of they will use a higher speed choice and get to their destination faster. At the teen age, it is exciting that they can be able to drive. They want to explore every aspect of driving and may want to know how it feels to drink and drive. The alcohol affects them such that they are unable to think before they get into the car.

Teens think that they are too knowledgeable for any driving experience and they can drink and drive. They do not recognize the effect of alcohol on them and most times will claim that they are actually not drunk while they are not sober. Instead of having a designated driver, they take chances of being all alone in the vehicle thinking that they can drive safely.

The fact that most teenagers know that drinking and driving is illegal makes the activity thrilling. They have the feeling of excitement and pleasure which they would like to try out. Thus, they end up engaging in the unaccepted behavior of drinking and driving which is quite dangerous to them. It will take time before they notice the damage created by alcohol and in the case of an accident, it teaches them to completely avoid drinking.

Drinking is an issue because of the traffic police. This is the department that should keep the law but they have instead decided to break the law for little amounts of money that the drivers give them to let them be on the road (Scott-Parker, 2017). The traffic police have been reluctant in keeping the laws of the highways which necessitates the teenagers to feel free and drive even when they are under the influence of alcohol.

The teenagers are aware that they will only have to corrupt the officer with a little amount and they can have their way (Bingham et al, 2015). They are also unafraid of the law because they think they have too much money to be released. Teenagers that can afford a car in most times it are likely that they are way above the poverty lines. The police departments and the court system are also corrupt and will allow token hence they can be released. Thus, teenagers do not find it a big deal that they will be convicted for drinking and driving.

Another reason why drinking and driving is an issue for teenagers are that of peer pressure. Teenagers are not mature like the older groups and get carried away by wanting to be like their peers (Scott-Parker, 2017). Peer pressure corrupts the minds of the teenagers and their attitude towards life and the habits they are supposed to engage in which do not endanger their lives. When teens see others drinking and driving, they also want to know how it is like to be in such a state.

Peer pressure affects the way the teenagers make decisions because they need to maintain an image that appeals their friends. Among the teenagers, peer pressure affects them in that they will be ridiculed and criticized if they do not perform like the rest. In this case, they want to act like their peers where they will drink and drive. They fear being told that they are not enough. Most of these teenagers want to prove points about themselves where they are told that they are not adequate.

Another reason why drinking and driving is still an issue is that of lack of awareness. Teenagers have no much knowledge about the danger they pose to other people on the road when they drive under intoxication (Endriulaitiene et al, 2018). The lack of education about driving puts them in a comfort zone where they do not even wish to know. The little they know about driving gives them the confidence that they are knowledgeable while they are not. They are not aware of the limits that are put concerning driving.

There is also the argument that drinking laws are too strict. Others argue that these laws make a huge deal about drinking. It could be true to say that one is still sober at an alcohol percentage of 0.05% and that they are able to drive. A teenager is not much affected since they can only drink small amounts and thus they are able to drive safely. The fact that the laws are too strict and yet not followed makes the teenagers see that it is not such a big deal and will be inclined to drink and drive.

Conclusion

In conclusion, teenagers should not drink and drive. They are too young to bear the effects of alcohol and drive when they are under influence. I support that drinking and driving is still an issue for teenagers because they lack awareness, they are ignorant, the laws are strict hence a thrill and peer pressure among others. Teenagers need to be aware that alcohol affects the aspects of safety for the driver in terms of wearing the seatbelt, using helmets and the choice of speed. It is such that alcohol affects their proper functioning and behaviors. Vision of alcoholic individual also deteriorates and they are unable to see the road clearly when driving. They need to know that majority of accidents happen due to drunkenness which is preventable.

References

Bingham, C. R., Zakrajsek, J. S., Almani, F., Shope, J. T., & Sayer, T. B. (2015). Do as I say, not as I do: distracted driving behavior of teens and their parents. Journal of safety research, 55, 21-29.

Endriulaitiene, A., Seibokaite, L., Zardeckaite-Matulaitiene, K., Marksaityte, R., & Slavinskiene, J. (2018). Attitudes towards risky driving and Dark Triad personality traits in a group of learner drivers. Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour, 56, 362-370.

Scott-Parker, B. (2017). Emotions, behaviour, and the adolescent driver: A literature review. Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour, 50, 1-37.

Shults, R. A., Olsen, E., & Williams, A. F. (2015). Driving among high school students-United States, 2013. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 64(12), 313.