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Don't drink and drive! It's that simple. That's the best tip I can give you. Whether it's just a glass or two of wine at dinner or a couple of beers, don't get behind the wheel. It is just not worth the risk. DUI is a stigma you don't want on your record.

Alcohol is a part of life. It has been around since Jesus and the disciples. I'm sure it was still dangerous to get drunk and fall off a camel or a horse, but at least that animal wasn't moving at sixty or seventy miles per hour. Add that to the impact of the vehicle you collide with and you've got a collision at over a hundred miles per hour. Our bodies are not designed to take such collisions. You might walk away from it, provided you're wearing your seat belt and you are very lucky. But- do you feel lucky?

So, if you will be drinking, make sure you don't drive. Stay put if you drink anything unless someone (who has not drunk) is driving you. Even if you have to call a cab or a friend to come get you, it's better to be safe than sorry. Parents should tell their children to call them if they need a ride home. And if they do call you to come get them after drinking, don't jump them about it. Commend them for having the good sense not to drive or ride with anyone that has been drinking. If you start quarreling at them, they will not call you. I would rather have a teenager who drinks and then calls me to come get her or him than a teenager who is afraid to call. Because then, that teenager is more apt to either drive or ride with a drinking friend. So please be careful when dealing with your teens.

A common belief is that coffee or cold air will help sober someone up. This is not true. Time is the only thing that will get the alcohol out of your body. So don't go drinking a cup of coffee after six beers, expecting the coffee to sober you up before you drive. Remember, driving is a privilege, not a right. It's up to you to protect that privilege.

Learn more about this author, Shelia West.
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