On November 29, 2011, Stanley George was killed in a car accident at only 58 years old.

George had recently picked up his mother, Ruby, and his two nieces. They were stopped at a red light on the way home.

In the blink of an eye, a Toyota slammed into the rear of George’s Nissan, killing him and severely injuring the others. The group never even saw it coming.

The driver of the Toyota was drunk. There was a bottle of vodka in her car, the contents missing.

Stanley George was my grandfather. He was also a husband, father, son, uncle, and a friend, loved by the grand majority of Manchester.

However, thanks to one person’s selfish, foolish actions, he lost his life that cold November night, leaving behind an entire community that would feel his loss.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident.

10,874 people were killed from drunk driving nationally in 2017 alone‒10,874 human lives lost to a fate so easily preventable.

When teenagers start driving, they are ceaselessly told about the horrors of drunk driving by their school administration, parents, and even insurance companies.

Despite these warnings, these young drivers consistently make the decision to drink and drive, and many continue this behavior as they grow older.

An appalling 20 percent of Americans ages 16 and up have admitted to driving while drunk. To some, it’s a weekly occurrence.

Yet, I cannot begin to comprehend why. When faced with an opportunity to drink and drive, why would anyone choose to risk his or her life and the lives of others?

To adults, drunk driving is more convenient than calling an Uber or a friend, but what could be more inconvenient than court cases, fines, jail time, and the guilt of injuring others?

To teenagers, drunk driving allows them to attend parties without getting in trouble with their parents, but wouldn’t your parents rather reprimand you than attend your funeral?

So, next time you go on a weekend bender, or even just have a couple of drinks at a party, stop and think: is it worth it? Is driving drunk worth the cost of precious human lives?

Appoint a designated driver, plan to spend the night at a friend’s house, wait for the alcohol to leave your system, but do not selfishly endanger yourself and others when safe options are so readily available. 

Be responsible. Be considerate. Be safe. Too many people have died.