As we begin the month of December the first thing we think of and hear is Holiday music, it is the start of a festive month when office parties are held and we gather with friends and family to celebrate; and December ends with the New Year celebration, makes December probably the biggest alcohol consumption month of the year. It is also the month that has been designated as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month to bring awareness to the national problem of driving while impaired with alcohol and/or drugs.
Having been involved in law enforcement most of my adult life; I have seen firsthand the horrors caused by drunk/drugged drivers where innocent people are hurt or, even worse, killed by someone who was driving while impaired. One case I remember was a young girl who was involved in a drunken driving accident in which an individual left a local bar, where he had spent several hours consuming alcohol, got in his vehicle and drove home. During his drive of less than a mile, he made an improper turn right into the path of the girl’s vehicle and caused a serious accident. Luckily no one was seriously injured or killed but it caused a lot of damage and could have been much worse. The individual was charged with drunk driving, it was his third charge in as many years and he lost his license for nine months and was fined several hundred dollars. The young lady walked away with scrapes and bruises but had great difficulty getting behind the wheel for a long time. As with all drunk/drugged drivers it could have been avoided but the person chose to operate his vehicle rather than have someone pick him up or take a cab the short distance he had to go. This incident, and thousands more like it or worse happen all over the country every year, the only difference with this one, it involved my daughter.
So, as the holidays approach and the festivities begin, use good judgment if you are going to partake in an alcoholic beverage. Even better, why not make this an alcohol free season? If you do drink, please don’t drive. Have a designated driver, call a cab or, better yet, have a nonalcoholic drink instead. Yes, have a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and remember that the life you save may be your own or some innocent family or friend.
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