When I was growing up (I know in the Dark Ages) there was an old joke. It went something like this.
Did you hear that Stevie Wonder got into a car accident?
Really, that's terrible. What happened?
Well, Ray Charles was driving?
For those of you who are going who, what? Let me explain. Both Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder are BLIND.
The point is, if you let your buds tell you what to do (like drink booze or smoke cigarettes) you might as well be blind. You will always have choices to make. One of those is NO to alcohol and drugs.
If you check out the tube, it seems like the coolest people are smoking or drinking. That, my friends, is not reality. In fact drinking while driving is one of the biggest hits in teen deaths behind the wheel. Understand that you also should not get into any car where you or the driver has been drinking. Use your brain to make smart choices.
Getting the scoop on drinking and driving works. Teen drinking and driving has dropped by almost twenty percent in states that have lowered the limit on blood-alcohol levels. The blood-alcohol level is a measure of how much alcohol is in you. If you drive with a certain amount, you can be locked up. Certain states have said that people under twenty-one can only have .02 percent and people over twenty-one .08 percent. You know what? The hammer is working. Teens are showing that they are more careful about themselves and others drinking. Well, alright.
Be aware of what can happen if you drink and drive or ride with someone who is (that also includes your parents or other adults.)
Here is a quick choice checklist ... A WHY list. Keep it handy.
1. What am I thinking of doing?
2. How will it affect me/or others if I do it?
3. Yes. I'm going to, but who do I need to tell?
There is a method to the madness. Nothing just happens. Learn to plan and take responsibility for choices that you make. Talk to your friends and parents. Learn about things that affect your life. It is your life. This is not some reality-based sitcom that you're in. This is real baby. Drive your own car.
