When we talk about getting home safely, most people focus on the dangers of driving under the influence or driving fast. But there are other aspects of safety that, if we pay attention to them, we can make a difference in people’s lives.
Drinking and walking is a hazard, even though many people do not consider it to be a serious issue.
Walking when drunk is considered to be a safer option than driving under the influence. It’s not illegal, so pedestrians don’t consider it a key priority. But the consequences can be severe.
Fact is 61% of pedestrian fatalities tested were found to have alcohol in their blood. And 41% tested were found to have FOUR times over the legal limit for driving. It can hardly be thought of as responsible being out on the road in that state.
Your judgment is drastically impaired, it’s easy to misjudge the speed of a car or not know exactly which direction it is travelling, if you can hardly walk in a straight line.
Even if you’re in familiar territory, your powers of observation and reaction time are so compromised, it means your chances of getting hit by a car are greater.
Perhaps it’s time we revised our thinking on what is acceptable on the roads and what isn’t, and perhaps dronk op straat should be one of those behaviours we change, before it becomes dood op straat.
The change begins with you.