Jeremy Morlock: DWI Incidents Can be Prevented
Jeremy Morlock: DWI Incidents Can be Prevented
Last week, New York State Police responding to a two-vehicle crash in the Town of Boston arrested the operators of both vehicles and charged them with driving while intoxicated. Police upgraded one of the charges to felony level after learning that one driver had a 2001 DWI conviction. Neither of the men were seriously injured, but a dog in one vehicle died after apparently breaking its back in the crash.
I think it proves that drunk driving is far too prevalent when both of the drivers in a crash are charged with DWI. And that unfortunate dog is far from the only victim in crashes like this that happen throughout Western New York all through the year. Barely a week goes by that our local sheriff's report and the East Aurora police blotter don't have a few DWI arrests between them. Thankfully, most of these arrests don't involve major injuries or deaths, but people have to realize that they put their own lives, and the lives of others, in serious jeopardy each time they get behind the wheel while drunk.
Reading the reports, it's clear that there are a wide variety of offenders, from teenagers who can't legally drink in the first place and are new to driving, to the parents of kids that age, to the elderly who should certainly know better. I'm often on the roads at night, so I'm especially conscious of the number of drunk drivers around in the late hours. Unfortunately, there are too many instances of drivers charged with DWI in the afternoons, when children and other pedestrians are prevalent and drivers need to be at their most alert.
Our police agencies are very vigilant, and I thank them for it, but there is no way they can catch every single person who has too many drinks and hits the road. Some of those who grumble about arrests or fight their charges in court should be thankful that they encountered the police while weaving on the roadway, rather than encountering the police after a deadly crash.
It is the duty of each driver to make certain that he or she is fit to take the wheel. We use cars so often that we take them for granted, and forget that driving is a heavy responsibility. The Governors Traffic Safety Committee reported that in 2006 (the most recent year for which it had statistics), there were a total of 3,216 DWI arrests in Erie County. The same year, there were 496 alcohol-related crashes, 470 alcohol-related injuries and 22-alcohol related deaths.
Those numbers are far too high. In order to bring them down, we must not only make certain that we ourselves are making the right decisions, but watching our friends and loved ones as well. After several drinks, it can seem inconvenient to find a ride, walk home or sleep on a friend's couch, but it is not nearly as "inconvenient" as an arrest, injury or having someone's death on your conscience.