Students drive drunk despite consequences

KATHERINE BRACHELLI ASST NEWS EDITOR KB727@CABRINI EDU

Most Cabrini students were not surprised to find that college students who already suffered the negative consequences of drinking and driving did not hesitate to hop in a car and do it again.

However, the college students who repeatedly drink and drive and have not dealt with those negative consequences are less likely to participate in drinking and driving, as reported in a recent study done by Journal Studies of Alcohol.

Jackie Hiester, a junior special education major, said, “It doesn’t surprise me at all that college students would get in to a car and drive drunk already knowing all the bad things that could happen to them.”

Although Hiester always tries to make sure that her and her friends have assigned a designated driver before hitting up the bars in Philadelphia, some of her friends have chosen a different route before visiting the bars.

Hiester reflected on the event when her friend, who she wishes to remain anonymous, participated in the drinking and driving trend that has become more common among college students, while knowing all the negative consequences.

Hiester’s friend volunteered to be the designated driver as a bunch of his friends cruised in and out of bars in Manayunk. Although he was previously involved in a drunken driving incident where he was penalized for his actions, it did not stop him from disregarding his role as designated driver a second time.

After a few drinks in the bar, he wanted to be a gentleman by getting the car for everyone since it was raining. Due to the vast amount of alcohol he had, he was unable to keep clear focus on driving and drove straight into a guardrail. Since this was the second time Hiester’s friend was caught driving under the influence, it held penalties that were far more severe than the first time.

Hiester ’s friend had his license taken away from him for three years. He is no longer able to attend culinary school because he has no means of transportation and he has caused both his mother and brother, who are cops in New Jersey, great embarrassment.

Hiester said, “It’s a shame that even though he knows the consequences of drinking and driving, he still would not hesitate to do it again.”

According to Denis M. McCarthy, assistant professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri in Columbia, there are many factors that contribute to an individual drinking and driving while knowing the negative consequences.

McCarthy said, “Part of the drunken driving risk factors such as disinhibition, high hostility and sensation seeking still remain elevated even after an individual

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