Having had a sister killed by a drunk driver I have to say this is the perfect time and place to discuss this issue. What better time than now when it is fresh and on everyone’s mind and on the front page than a week from now when it’s shuffled to the last page?
Right now friends and family are not on the internet and when they are maybe they will welcome that this senseless tragedy brought about a discussion on this issue. Drinking and driving is a very selfish act and to be quite honest I find it very hard to feel sorry for the drunk driver when 9 times out of 10 the drunk driver kills an innocent person and walks away injury free. Two families were destroyed in my family - mine and the drunk driver’s. We lost a loved one whereas the DD lost their loved one to prison and the rest of his life will center around his mistake. DD can be prevented a number of ways - if you’re going to drink give someone your keys to keep you from driving or if someone is drinking TAKE their keys to prevent them from driving. It’s very SIMPLE! If you save a life isn’t that worth it?? I believe it is.
To the families I offer my condolences. I’m sorry for your loss. There is nothing that anyone can say or do right now to ease your pain but it will ease in time.
[QUOTE=MaritimeH/J;8471419]
First of all, sincere deep condolences to the families and friends of both parties. It is truly awful. I can’t even imagine the pain of the spouses.
However I can picture a little of it, as my stepsister lost hers in a very similar way. I was the ‘friends and family’. I saw the comments, on facebook, on news posts, etc, (albeit a little later on) when her significant other was killed. Small community, same idea. Before anything was confirmed there was speculation, and tho frustrating, most was right. And she was in the car too. Got a drive home with someone they thought hadn’t been drinking ‘much’. Tho they knew she was drinking. And the driver hadn’t had much, but it was enough. They were all super nice people. All friends. My stepsister walked away with barely more than an extremely broken heart full of regret. She was in the front, no seatbelt. He was in the back, buckled in. Sometimes, the world doesn’t make sense.
I didn’t need to bear witness to her situation to know not to drive drunk, I never had, and I never will. And I don’t mean that in a holier than thou sort of way. I’ve made lots of mistakes in life, lots, just not that one - that’s in its own category for me, always was. But let me tell you, the first hand experience, watching it unfold, certainly emblazoned it into my brain. And at his funeral, just a couple days later, it was his own mother who was spreading the message. It wasn’t tiptoed around. Because it was just so freaking accepted in their crowd of friends. Have a few (or more), drive home. And enough was enough.
Unfortunately, immediately following a tragedy like this, when it is on everyone’s minds, is the easiest way to spread the message. Otherwise it falls on deaf ears. People are very upset, here and elsewhere, that people are jumping to conclusions. But if this wasn’t an ongoing issue, would that conclusion be jumped to? There is enough of it around that speculation was immediate. That’s a shame in itself.
If he was stone cold sober, then hopefully folks will realize that it is the well known culture tarnishing his name, and DO SOMETHING about it. Since people are going to talk no matter what, maybe having the talk out in the open will prompt some changes so that a) if intoxication was involved it is less likely to happen again and/or b) if intoxication wasn’t involved people will realize how well known the culture is now, and do something about it so that the next innocent accident is not tarred in speculation.
Again, sincere condolences to all those involved in the nightmare. Like mentioned above, I doubt they are reading this, but if anyone is, know that despite my two cents that may or may not be agreed with, I truly am sorry for the loss.[/QUOTE]
Can you not read. I guess so, You missed the point which was about the passenger who died.