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There is nothing wrong with a drink or two while in a safe environment with no obligation to go anywhere else. However, the moment you get in a vehicle and start to operate it while under the influence, you are not only involved in a criminal offense, but you are putting your life and others in danger. Knowing the facts about drunk driving is the first step in being aware of how dangerous this act is. In order to shed some light on the issue, here are 10 drunk driving statistics that will make you think twice about driving after too many alcoholic beverages.

1.Every single day, about 29 people in the United States will die in a motor vehicle crash that involved an intoxicated and impaired driver. In retrospect, this equates to 1 drunk driving death every 50 minutes.

2.Nearly 50 percent of people ages 21 or younger who have died due to a drunk driving innocent were not the drivers.

3.If you are charged with a DUI, it can increase your insurance rate by up to 73.9 percent, resulting in over $1,000 more each month on your insurance premiums. In addition to this costly side effect, you will also likely have your license removed for a period of time, have to pay legal fees, and may face jail time.

4.In 2016, out of all the 1,233 traffic deaths involving children ages 0-14, 214 of them were caused by an alcohol impaired driver on the road.

5. On average, 2 out of every 3 people will become involved in an alcohol related car crash in their lifetime, either as the drunk driver or as the victim.

6.Alcohol is the number one choice of “drug” and is involved in about 40 percent of all fatal car crashes.

7. More than half of intoxicated car crashes occur on urban roads, with most happening in good weather (89 percent). Also, 69 percent of those crashes occur at night and on residential streets.

8. The states that have you will have a higher likelihood of getting into a car crash due to an intoxicated driver are Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. For example, in 2015, Florida had 797 drunk driving deaths. In context, this equates to 0.14 percent of the state’s total population. The next was Ohio, with 313 deaths in the same year, which was about .05 percent of its total population.

9.Interestingly enough, people who live in dry counties or places where alcohol is not sold are actually more likely to be involved with an alcohol-related car crash than those who live in wet counties or places that do sell alcohol. For instance, looking into six year’s worth of car crash data in Kentucky, the drunk drivers were more likely to be from dry areas. The hypothesis says that these people have to drive further to get home from the bar and are more likely to be on the road after drinking because of this.

10.Though you are more likely to be associated in a car crash with an impaired driver at the states in number 8 on this list, you are much more likely to die from an alcohol-related car crash in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Wyoming, Texas, and North Dakota. In fact, in 2015, 43 percent of all road deaths that occurred in Rhode Island were due to intoxication. Connecticut was not far behind, coming in at 39 percent.

Conclusion - Prevent A DUI

These drunk driving statistics real and are meant to make you more mindful of the repercussions that could take place if you choose to drive intoxicated. Even if you "feel fine," if your blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is anything .08 percent or higher, you can be arrested and charged with a DUI.

Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable. Though you do not have to avoid drinking altogether, though that would be the ultimate route to go if you plan on driving later, there are alternative options that you can take. In order to prevent a DUI on your record and putting your life and others at risk, have a designated driver, call an Uber or Taxi, and invest in a breathalyzer so you can always be confident you are able to operate a motor vehicle safely. Remember, just because you feel "good" does not mean you are, which is why a breathalyzer can give you that peace of mind and clear evidence that you are okay to operate a motor vehicle.