The Harms of Duis for Neighborhoods and Communities

The holiday season is upon us, and Thanksgiving weekend is right around the corner; this time of the year not only sees caroling, roast turkeys, and Christmas decorations decked out everywhere – but a dangerous upsurge in incidents of drunken driving as well.

However, no one will deny that the joyous holiday celebrations are often best paired with a hearty round of drinks and a fun night out. But these blissful gatherings often result in tragic accidents, crashes, and even casualties when people make the misguided decision to drive while under the influence.

Driving while under the influence is punishable by up to 6 months in jail. Offenders may even have to pay a heavy, pocket-cutting fine. But what about the repercussions of careless driving on neighborhoods and communities?

The minds behind the nonprofit AngelLift steer their service keeping the wider impact of DUIs in mind. Quite literally, calling for a ride via Angel Lift can save lives.

The repercussions

Driving while inebriated results in drastically slowed responses, and delayed reaction time. This, coupled with a lack of coordination, can result in horrific crashes that can put other lives at risk.

For neighborhood communities in particular, there is often the risk of children out on streets late at night. An innocent, unaware group of children may be playing a game of Freeze Tag, relishing in their winter break. DUIs place these lives at risk, and this damage is incomparable. The risk that drunken driving places on innocent lives is what primarily drives organizations like Angel Lift forward; book a ride, reach home safely. A fun Saturday night out should not end up costing lives.

Neighborhoods may go through complex changes if the number of DUI incidents continues to hike upwards; residents may begin to restrict their own routines and outings, in fear of some arbitrary inebriated driver harming them. Some families may opt to move out of the community entirely. A neighborhood which does not host wholesome, healthy families can become a breeding ground for dangerous criminals and drug addicts to take over.

In turn, ramshackle and unfit neighborhoods affect other factors – property values of the area plummet, home-based businesses may be forced to shut down permanently. One DUI incident can trigger a string of others to follow in its wake; the community falls apart, and the neighborhood becomes too unsafe and notorious to inhabit.

What about costs? In the event that an incident of driving under the influence leads to a minor crash against public property, the results could translate into legal fees, hefty fines, and driver’s licenses even being revoked. Being convicted of a DUI appears on official records, and believe it or not, this impacts employment options and job prospects.

The community may have to foot the bills of a number of damages to private and public property. This can create resentment, can force someone to go through a tough time for the mistakes of a careless few.

AngelLift proves to be the definitive answer to the DUIs that occur all year round, and spike up during the holiday season. The organization even hosts a mobile application; even after an enjoyable few rounds of drinks, if you suspect someone to be unfit to drive, call over a ride and the AngelChauffer will take it from there.

Volunteer or donate to AngelLift today !!, and ensure the safety of countless lives tomorrow.