5 Ways to Teach People Not to Drink and Drive
If you, or someone you love, has been seriously harmed by an impaired driver, then you know how bad drinking and driving can be. You may even be familiar with a DUI lawyer depending on your involvement with the case. The fact that drunk drivers injure and kill thousands of people every year makes it clear that the problem isn't going away any time soon. That's why educating yourself on the issue and spreading the word to everyone you know about what it means to drink and drive is vital to stopping impaired driving. These five ways to teach people not to drink and drive will help you become an effective advocate for safety on the roadways.
1) Emotional Appeal
Emotional appeal means truly convincing people that it is in their best interest not to drink and drive by changing their feelings about it. You can also use logic or scare tactics, but most people respond better to emotional appeals. Some examples of emotional appeals include telling a story about an accident or showing pictures of victims of drunk driving accidents.
If you can get someone mad enough about drunk driving they will make the decision not to drink and drive on their own. There are many legal aspects of drinking and driving that can also be discussed to create an emotional appeal. For example, do you know how long your license is suspended if you're convicted? What fines might be imposed by law enforcement? Do you know how much time in jail you could face if convicted? Or all the other ways that the offence could haunt you throughout your life? How much it might cost to hire a criminal defence lawyer? Considering these may be enough to change someone's feelings around drunk driving to the degree that they won't make this costly mistake.
2) Reward Approach
This method is all about rewarding people for not drinking and driving. You could give out a coupon for a free dinner, donate money to their favourite charity, or have them play a video game. The goal of this approach is just to get people thinking about what they are doing before they drink and drive. Once someone has reached a certain number of instances without drinking and driving, you can reward them with something more expensive. For example, if someone approaches a month without incident, you might congratulate them with a movie ticket. If they are able to control their impulses for a year, a ticket for a trip might be more appropriate.
3) Avoidance Approach
The avoidance approach is all about teaching people to avoid drinking and driving altogether. This can be done through education, prevention, and awareness campaigns. It's important to make sure that people know the risks of drinking and driving, and that they understand the consequences. Prevention programs are also helpful because a person can change their behaviour after learning about the dangers. Educating children on what will happen if they drink and drive can also help them avoid this behaviour in the future. Suppose impaired driving isn't avoided and a driver is found guilty. In that case, a DUI lawyer might be able to assist with fighting these charges or with negotiating sentencing alternatives like community service or court-ordered treatment.
4) Warning Approach
The best way to teach people not to drink and drive is to warn them of the dangers. Drinking and driving is a serious offence that can lead to jail time, loss of driving privileges, and even death. If you are caught drinking and driving, you will be subject to a serious conviction. You could also be charged with vehicular homicide if you cause a fatal accident while under the influence. The best way to avoid these penalties is to simply not drink and drive. Pick one or the other. There are many ways for you to get home without risking your life. Public transportation, designated drivers, taxis, and ridesharing services such as Uber are all good options for getting home safely without driving drunk.
5) Model Approach
The best way to teach people not to drink and drive is to lead by example. If you don't drink and drive, you can set the standard for others. You can also talk about the dangers of drinking and driving with friends, family, and co-workers. Additionally, you can support organizations that work to prevent drunk driving, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Finally, you can be a responsible driver by always making sure you have a designated driver when you go out drinking. It's never worth risking your life or someone else's just because you're too impaired to make it home without getting behind the wheel. A DUI conviction could cost you more than $10,000 in fines and legal fees alone. It could cost you your job, your driver's license, or even land you in jail. Model how easy it is to avoid all of these consequences by not drinking and driving.
Your Best is All You Can Do
There are a variety of ways that you can teach people not to drink and drive. Some methods may be more effective, but it is important to tailor your approach to the individual or group you are working with. With patience and persistence, you can help people decide to never drink and drive again.