Picture this: a loved one went out to grab a drink with a friend after work. He said he’d be home for dinner. Hours roll by, and with a cold dinner still sitting on the table, one may start to wonder when that loved one is coming home.

Unfortunately, he never makes it home because one drink turned into another, and before too long, it turned into a few more. Then came the deadly decision to get behind the wheel.

Drunk driving is an issue that can affect anyone. In North Carolina, nearly 30 percent of all vehicle accidents have alcohol involved. Hundreds of people die every day due to drunk driving.

It’s not something to be taken lightly, yet many people fail to see the gravity of the situation. Grabbing a beer with a buddy isn’t a deadly choice. Getting behind the wheel of a car after one too many beers is.

It’s dangerous for all parties — both the drunk driver and the other drivers on the road. Running a stop sign or red light, failure to brake or just plain negligence to rules of the road could cost a life, if not multiple lives.

Legally, one can drive with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 percent. While that number means different things for different people, it could equate to impaired judgment, impaired perceptions and lower muscle coordination regarding vision, reaction time or hearing — all things that would make it more difficult to operate a vehicle.

There are popular myths about how to “sober” up, such as taking a cold shower, drinking coffee or exercising, but the only real way to sober up is time. The best way to make it home safely is to have a plan. Plan to have a designated driver. Plan to call a taxi. Call a friend. Be responsible.

Nobody ever wants to receive the terrible news that his family member or loved one has been killed in an accident, especially one that could’ve been prevented.

With summertime activities in full swing and July 4 quickly approaching, make sure to take the necessary precautions for traveling if planning to drink alcohol.