DUI, or driving under the influence, is a very common problem among teenagers today. Too often we hear about several people meeting their deaths on the road because of this. Most of the time, they weren't even the ones driving. That's why it's necessary to arm yourself with the necessary information about DUI, to tell other people about it, and hopefully, with your knowledge, prevent more accidents on the road.

People who know about DUI usually just think that the influence is alcohol. That DUI is synonymous with drunk driving. Maybe so. The actual thing is, over-the-counter decongestants can also affect your driving skills. Not only that, illegal drugs also obviously fit the bill of DUI.

The worst thing about DUI is, it's not only the drunk driver that's affected. Remember, the intoxicated driver is on the open road. He may bump into other cars, he may affect pedestrians on the road, and most of all, he may affect his very own passengers. That's why for your own safety you should never, ever get into a car if the driver has been drinking. Statistics show that the kind of people most charged with DUI are males within the age bracket of sixteen to twenty-four. They are heavy drinkers and have an average performance academically. Although most drunk drivers fall under these characteristics, it's just as easy for anyone else to be driving drunk.

Yet, armed with all this knowledge, and aware of all the dangers, DUI is still rampant up to today. Why? Well, there are several reasons. First, Alcohol-induced loss of judgement. This could be the biggest reason DUI is still at large today. After three or four drinks, a person's judgement is undermined by alcohol. A second reason for DUI could be lack of planning. To avoid DUI, you must figure out how to get back if you plan on drinking. The most common solution is to have a designated driver who doesn't drink and can take those who have been drinking home. Thirdly, rationalization leads to DUI. How many times have you heard the excuses, "I've made it home drunk before, I can sure as hell do it again," or, "My home is only a few minutes away. What could happen?" These thoughts have only crossed drunk drivers one too many times.

Another reason DUI is so common, is sadly, lack of education; although due to its alarming rate more information has been spread about it. Too much emphasis has been put on alcohol as a main reason for DUI, all the while disregarding other drugs such as cough syrup or marijuana.

Lastly, pressure is a huge factor that leads to many DUI cases. Considering that it is most teenagers who drink and drive, the last thing they would want to do is inform their parents that they need a ride home from drinking too much, or staying over at a friend's house for the night for the same reason. This is stirred by fear but of course, anyone would rather bear these inconveniences compared to staying over at the morgue or being picked up off the road... dead, unfortunately.

At the very least, DUI charge can lead to license suspension. At the very worst, DUI can take away several lives. It's important to take your precautions. DUI is reason enough not to trust anyone on the road.