Organizations, sobriety checkpoints, and stricter laws to decrease
             the death toll in alcohol related car accidents
             The huge auditorium is filled with grim-faced teenagers who sit in complete silence as the family of the young girl struggle to finish what they have to say. Photographs are displayed on the stage; a girl smiling on a swing, in the sand at the beach, and laughing with her friends. Who would have thought that this girl would be among the 25,000 people killed by drunk drivers a year in the United States. The students sit silently watching the couple grieve for their child, many feeling guilty and embarrassed; each of them have heard of or are friends with people who have driven while intoxicated. Yet, few teenagers think that it could ever happen to them.
             In 1991, a boy named Jason was racing friends and driving drunk. They all thought they were having a good time, but that all changed in a split second when he caused a crash that claimed the life of his 15 year-old sister, Erin. Jason's actions resulted in him being convicted of vehicular manslaughter, and being sent to prison for a 6-year period. Jason was one of the lucky ones. Unfortunately, his younger sister Erin was not.
             Every twenty-two minutes a person is killed in an alcohol-related motor vehicle crash. On average, 25,000 lives are lost each year in the United States due to drunk driving, and it is estimated that five thousand miles of alcohol-impaired driving occur for each arrest. While only one out of the two thousand drivers with a blood alcohol level of .10% or higher is arrested, drunk driving is a serious crime, and severe measures must be enforced to solve it. Sobriety checkpoints; breathalyzer tests at bars, clubs, and parking garages; stricter penalties; and more informative organizations are all ways in which problem can be solved.
             Although young people are less likely to drive than adults are, teen accident rates are substant...