Everyone knows that drunk driving is risky behavior and that driving while intoxicated can lead to an auto accident. However, knowing of the dangers of drunk driving in the abstract is different than coming face-to-face with someone who has been the victim of a drunk driving crash or who has had his or her life shattered as a result of a drunk driver. This is why drunk driving accident victims and families of those killed by drunk drivers so often join the campaign as spokespeople against drunk driving.
One example of this is a Massachusetts’ mother who made a public plea to everyone out celebrating the New Year. As CBS Boston reported, the mother urged every partygoer on New Years to call a cab, use a designated driver, walk or do anything but drink and drive. Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys urge everyone to listen to this mother’s plea not just on the New Years holiday but for all of 2013 and the future. We urge you to make a resolution not just to avoid drinking and driving over New Years but to make a lifetime commitment never to drink and drive.
Drunk Driving Changes Lives
The Massachusetts’ mother who came out urging all partygoers on New Years to avoid drinking and driving was able to speak first hand about the loss that a drunk driver can cause. Her son died at age 19 when he was walking home from work. He was struck by a drunk driver at Soldiers Field Road in Brighton- a split second that ended a promising young life and that changed his family forever.
Because of her grief and sadness over her son’s death, she has become an anti-drunk driving advocate and spoke out at a press conference with Massachusetts state police on the Friday before New Years. She cautioned that a drunk driving death ruins more than just the life of the deceased. The family and loved ones of the victim are affected, of course, but the driver and his family will also have to live forever with the knowledge that they caused a death. Drunk driving, therefore, is never worth the risk.
Drunk Driving Still Remains a Persistent Problem
Despite widespread publicity of the dangers of drunk driving and despite widespread knowledge of how risky the behavior is, drunk driving continues to be a problem. As CBS Boston reported, Massachusetts police arrested 4,800 drunk drivers in 2012 even before the New Years holiday, which tends to be a major drinking day. The 4,800 arrests are a full 1,000 more arrests than those that occurred in 2011. The increase in arrests was caused, in part, by increased law enforcement efforts and by programs putting more police on the roads, especially during times when people are most likely to drink such as New Years.
Unfortunately, law enforcement cannot be everywhere and they cannot find and arrest every drunk driver. This means that it is up to each individual to make the commitment not to drink and drive. Remember, when someone breaks that rule and chooses to drive drunk, the consequences can be tragic.
If you or someone in your family has been involved in a drunk driving car accident, call the Law Office of Jeffrey S. Glassman, LLC for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your case. Call (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
Walpole Bartenders Encouraged to Look For Heroes To Fight Drunk Driving, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, November 30, 2012