Drunk Driving
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Toss, The Scream, The Question
We try to add rules and laws to make our streets safe but to no avail, with so many who scoff at such decrees and set their own bar. It’s not that every single driver who has a drink and then drives is going to have a fatality, that’s not at all what I’m saying. I’m simply saying that its tuff enough to drive while all our senses are fully intact much less when they are hampered. This is why the Austin police Chief Art Acevedo is pushing for a new drunk driving category in Texas. His plan would target those who have had a couple drinks, but are not yet legally drunk. "People need to understand impairment starts with the first drink.” It would be called Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) and would apply to those with a blood alcohol level of .05 and .07. The current DWI limit is .08 (Acevedo). We could all name someone or have heard of someone whose lives have been affected in some way by drunk drivers, the list might never end if we actually sat down and began to write. However I only want to funnel you toward one story in particular, it’s a story that starts like all the others and ends like most of them as well, only this one resonates with great emotion because it’s so close to home.
It’s been over fifteen years since it happen and I can still hear her screams scratching at my mind like sharp nails on a chalkboard. The party was incredible that night; we had good food, great friends, awesome music, and endless drinks. I wasn’t much for drinking at this stage of my life, but really enjoyed great company so I found myself at all the hot spots. My close friends would always invite me to these shindigs just so they would have a designated driver on hand. However this night as things began to wind down we would be faced with the issue of far too many needing rides and only one driver. That’s when Lisa, the wife of a dear friend decided that she hadn’t had that much to drink and could drive some of the crew members’ home. Everything was fine until her claim that something hit the window caused her to lose control of the wheel; sending them on a ten plus hood over carriage flip-aram-a that took the life of every passenger except the driver. She laid there grasping for composure, her mind numb with pain. For a brief moment she said it felt like it was a bad dream, a bad dream that quickly turned into a nightmare as the engine burst into flames that began to lick at the air like a startled snake. She loosened her upside down remains and pulled herself away from the firebox. The car exploded and every smile, every laugh, every joke told, every gathering, and every night out came to a complete end. I had already dropped off two of my passengers and was only a few minutes behind the accident. I arrived just prior to the explosion, and her meltdown. I’m still not sure if it was the noise of the blast or the heat of the flames that jarred her mind but it wasn’t until then did she realize all who she so eagerly choose to chauffeur. First there was Eddie, he had just turned twenty one and was one of the main reasons for the party. Then we had Jimmy, he wasn’t the crowd favorite but you could always rest assure that if you needed someone to back you up for any reason, Jimmy was your man. Last but not least we had Alfonso, Fonzy for all his close friends and he was extremely close to Lisa since they had been married for six years and had two girls together. That scream, that deafening, hollow, empty scream shook me to core. I sat that and watched her die on the inside as her heart crashed to the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces like it was made of glass.
Nothing prepares you for death, no matter how many times you think you’re really ready for it, you’re truly not even with a warning. So when you add the element of surp
Other Options
There are other ways for you to get home safely and not be in any sorts of danger if you happen to be drinking. You can have what we call a DD which is the designated driver, or call a taxi or a friend to come pick you up if they can, or if it's okay with the person throwing the party if it's okay if you spend the night there are ways to avoid drinking and driving safes ways.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Prevent Drunk Driving
Life Changing
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A Problem Nation Wide
Drunk Driving is one of the leading causes of death throughout the world today. There are many ways we can try to prevent deaths by reducing the amount of traffic accidents. According to Gale, “20% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S each year are caused by drunk drivers” (Hanson). Also, High blood alcohol content drivers tend to be male, ages 25-35 years old and have a history of DWI convictions and polydrug abuse” (Hanson). We cannot stop people from driving, but their licenses can be revoked or thrown into a penitentiary due to alcohol offenses. It is always good to protect yourself and help your inebriated friends by taking their keys away. Drunk Driving is a very serious problem that many people don’t take it seriously. There some penalties with little effect. According to a nation-wide study, “Large fines (for example $500) would have little deterrent effect” (Hanson). States raising the cost of alcohol may not reduce drunk driving. According to David, “increasing the cost of alcohol with a 10% tax would have virtually no impact on reducing drunk driving” (Hanson). Also, “increasing the cost tend to discriminate against lower income consumers and create other problems of unknown magnitude”. We all just need to be aware of what’s going around us.
"Big Problem With Wisconsin Drinking « CAFFEINATED POLITICS." CAFFEINATED POLITICS. 16 Nov. 2008. Web. 08 Dec. 2010.David J. Hanson, Ph.D. "Drunk Driving Is a Serious National Problem." Drunk Driving. Ed. Tamara Thompson. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.
Still Wanting To Drink and Drive?
"Google Image Result for Http://www.5myteen.com/images/crashOP.jpg." Google. 2005. Web. 08 Dec. 2010.