Another Tragic Story Of Alcohol, Driving, and the Tragic Failure of DUI Laws
Today the news in the world of baseball dealt not with the excitement about the start of a new season, but rather with the tragedy of a life cut too short, all courtesy of yet another drunk driver. Nick Adenhart, a 22-year-old rookie pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels died in a horrific car crash, along with two other young people when a drunk driver in a minivan ran a red light and plowed into their car.
As is seemingly typical in these awful tragedies, the sorry excuse for a human being who caused this tragedy, emerged relatively unscathed from the crash, and proceeded to flee from the scene. He was arrested a short time later. The degenerate trifecta became complete when it was revealed he was driving with a suspended license stemming from his previous conviction for, wait for it, DRUNK DRIVING.
But this story, like so many, is only beginning. You see, Mr. Adenhart had just finished pitching 6 shutout innings of baseball in his team's game earlier that night, in his 4th major league game ever and with his father, a retired Secret Service agent, in attendance. His father had flown out from Baltimore at his son's request, because he "felt like something special was going to happen". This after overcoming major elbow surgery in high school, the year long rehabilitation and the tough climb up the ladder to the major leagues.
What should have been one of the most wonderful nights in their lives, instead became the biggest nightmare. Far too many people, young and old, are killed every year by drunk drivers. All of their lives were tragically cut short by the sheer reckless and brainless twits who simply tie one on, and then hop behind the wheel. In 2006, over 13000 people were killed by drunk drivers.
When will our society finally decide enough is enough? The driver in this case had already been convicted of drunk driving. Why is he free at all? You cannot make the statement today, that anyone who has a license today does NOT know the perils of drinking and driving. Our schools teach it, our churches preach it: Don't drink and drive. There are commercials on television, on the radio, in publications, on billboards.
Yet, society still seems to twist the logic around so that these ....drunk drivers...are also seen as victims. They aren't totally responsible? BovinePatties! They are entirely to blame. But look at how some high profile cases have been handled. Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears just to name a few. Sadly in this latest example, Andrew Gallo, the 22-year-old loser who murdered these 3 innocent people, he got a sweet deal too.
Thanks to our overly apologetic society where nobody truly is responsible for their choices, he had the chance to fail in life again. Instead of enjoying a nice day with his son overcoming so much adversity to reach the highest level of his profession, and live his dream; Jim Adenhart spent time alone on the pitchers mound at Anaheim Stadium crying as he spent a few moments of prayerful silence on the same ground his son had stood on so proudly only a few hours before.
I hope one day, our legal system and our lawmakers will finally deal with this problem, rather than keep their head in the sand. Public Service Announcements are nice, but for 13000+ people in 2006, not nearly enough. When someone drives drunk, they have made their choice. There was a moment when they had their faculties, they just didn't care. Funny, it seems as though the lawmakers and legal system don't either.
__________________________
As is seemingly typical in these awful tragedies, the sorry excuse for a human being who caused this tragedy, emerged relatively unscathed from the crash, and proceeded to flee from the scene. He was arrested a short time later. The degenerate trifecta became complete when it was revealed he was driving with a suspended license stemming from his previous conviction for, wait for it, DRUNK DRIVING.
But this story, like so many, is only beginning. You see, Mr. Adenhart had just finished pitching 6 shutout innings of baseball in his team's game earlier that night, in his 4th major league game ever and with his father, a retired Secret Service agent, in attendance. His father had flown out from Baltimore at his son's request, because he "felt like something special was going to happen". This after overcoming major elbow surgery in high school, the year long rehabilitation and the tough climb up the ladder to the major leagues.
What should have been one of the most wonderful nights in their lives, instead became the biggest nightmare. Far too many people, young and old, are killed every year by drunk drivers. All of their lives were tragically cut short by the sheer reckless and brainless twits who simply tie one on, and then hop behind the wheel. In 2006, over 13000 people were killed by drunk drivers.
When will our society finally decide enough is enough? The driver in this case had already been convicted of drunk driving. Why is he free at all? You cannot make the statement today, that anyone who has a license today does NOT know the perils of drinking and driving. Our schools teach it, our churches preach it: Don't drink and drive. There are commercials on television, on the radio, in publications, on billboards.
Yet, society still seems to twist the logic around so that these ....drunk drivers...are also seen as victims. They aren't totally responsible? BovinePatties! They are entirely to blame. But look at how some high profile cases have been handled. Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears just to name a few. Sadly in this latest example, Andrew Gallo, the 22-year-old loser who murdered these 3 innocent people, he got a sweet deal too.
Thanks to our overly apologetic society where nobody truly is responsible for their choices, he had the chance to fail in life again. Instead of enjoying a nice day with his son overcoming so much adversity to reach the highest level of his profession, and live his dream; Jim Adenhart spent time alone on the pitchers mound at Anaheim Stadium crying as he spent a few moments of prayerful silence on the same ground his son had stood on so proudly only a few hours before.
I hope one day, our legal system and our lawmakers will finally deal with this problem, rather than keep their head in the sand. Public Service Announcements are nice, but for 13000+ people in 2006, not nearly enough. When someone drives drunk, they have made their choice. There was a moment when they had their faculties, they just didn't care. Funny, it seems as though the lawmakers and legal system don't either.
__________________________
Additional Facts and Statistics
The 13,470 fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during 2006 represent an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 39 minutes. The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was four times higher at night than during the day.
The percentage of drivers with BAC of .08 or above in fatal crashes was highest for motorcycle operators (27 percent), followed by light trucks (24 percent), and then passenger cars (23 percent). The percentage of drivers with BAC levels of .08 or higher in fatal crashes was the lowest for large trucks (1%).
In fatal crashes in 2006, the highest percentage of drivers with a BAC level of .08 or higher was for drivers ages 21-24 (33%), followed by ages 25-34 (29%) and 35-44 (25%).
Drivers with a BAC level of .08 or higher involved in fatal crashes were eight times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers with no alcohol (8% and 1%, respectively).
In 2006, more than 8,200 (55%) of the drivers involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking had a BAC of .15 or greater.
As in previous years, in 2006, males comprise a majority, about 81 percent, of all drivers involved in fatal crashes with a BAC=.08+.
The 13,470 fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during 2006 represent an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 39 minutes. The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was four times higher at night than during the day.
The percentage of drivers with BAC of .08 or above in fatal crashes was highest for motorcycle operators (27 percent), followed by light trucks (24 percent), and then passenger cars (23 percent). The percentage of drivers with BAC levels of .08 or higher in fatal crashes was the lowest for large trucks (1%).
In fatal crashes in 2006, the highest percentage of drivers with a BAC level of .08 or higher was for drivers ages 21-24 (33%), followed by ages 25-34 (29%) and 35-44 (25%).
Drivers with a BAC level of .08 or higher involved in fatal crashes were eight times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers with no alcohol (8% and 1%, respectively).
In 2006, more than 8,200 (55%) of the drivers involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking had a BAC of .15 or greater.
As in previous years, in 2006, males comprise a majority, about 81 percent, of all drivers involved in fatal crashes with a BAC=.08+.
Comments
Post a Comment