While evaluating anything, it is easy to create a list of pros and cons. After weighing the importance of each pro and con, it should help making decisions easier. In 2015, there were a lot of ups and downs, as there are every year. There is new music, but on the other hand some popular artists seem to have fallen off of the face of the earth. There are 2015 fashion trends and sayings that need to be left in 2015. There are foods, TV shows, study habits, dances, negativity, and plenty of items being sold on infomercials that without second thoughts should not have been brought into the new year.

However, all of those things that should have definitely been left in 2015, seem unimportant when looking at drunk driving statistics. In 2011 alone, 1.2 million people got arrested for driving under the influence. Every two minutes, a person is injured from a drunk driving incident. In solely 2013, over 10,000 people died in drunk driving crashes, which is also one every 52 minutes. 290,000 were injured in 2013. We should make drinking and driving a thing of the past. Leave it in 2015, because it’s not worth it. If a pros and con list of drinking and driving was made and weighed, it would definitely not seem worth it to anybody. And I realize that still may not make anyone think twice before getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, but it’s worth a shot.

W = Weight (weight of importance is being weighed 0-50, 0 being not important at all, 50 being very important.)

After seeing the consequences, and the only plus side, that mind you, is not even important, people will still continue to drink and drive. Before going out to drink, people should have their rides planned out. If you have a big friend group and you go out drinking every weekend, come  up with a rotation of designated drivers. Every weekend it could be someone else who doesn’t drink and devotes themselves to being the designated driver. Another option is to sleepover wherever you plan to drink. I’m sure if you asked the host of the party, they would much rather you sleep over then put you at risk to get into a drunk driving accident. However, if none of those things are an option and it is too late to call anybody or do anything at all, it’s more safe to just sleep in your car, then drive home in the morning. Getting a ticket for sleeping in your car is much better than killing yourself, others, or injuring anybody, while also getting arrested, for drinking and driving.

There is no excuse to drink and drive. Drinking and driving has always been a huge problem. Everyone needs to try and make it a thing of the past. Let’s leave it in 2015. Let’s start the new year with new, better, habits. More importantly, let your friends and family know that you’re available to give them a lift when they are in a real need.