drink & drive

Every time I am in Italy, I am always shocked by how widespread the practice of drink driving is.

Drinking and driving is not just commonly practiced, but also socially accepted. Many people would go out for one or more drinks and then drive home, without even questioning or thinking about their ability to drive safely.

Even when people know they are going to have a big night out and get hammered, they do not make arrangements to have someone sober drive them home. This applies to every age group, not just young drivers.

It is a decisively serious problem, that is not properly publicized by the authorities or the media. Instead of clearly condemning the behaviours at the root of the drink&drive culture, the media only reports on the weekly number of deaths.

In Ireland, the government has taken a stark stance against the problem of drink driving, by broadcasting clear and powerful messages that drink driving kills, maims and severely injures yourself and others.

I hope that similar steps will be taken by the Italian government to rectify what has become a seriously understated and wildly ignored problem.