D.U.I. – Driving Under The Influence:
D.U.I., short for Driving Under the Influence. This is a category that can make you a victim or a perpetrator. One side is the very tragic side. Where you or a loved one is killed by a drunk driver. Or when you’re drunk and kill somebody else’s loved family member or friend.
Imagine this:
You are watching television, comfortable after a nice dinner. All relaxed in the lazy-boy recliner. Your wife and daughter (or son) have been gone around 2 hours, shopping for clothes and school supplies. The doorbell rings. You figure it’s the newsboy collecting, or a salesman. You answer the door, and you see a policeman. The policeman says, “are you Mr.? You answer yes, and your heart starts to beat a little faster. The officer says ” I’m sorry, I have some bad news for you” ” Your wife and daughter (or son) were killed in a vehicle accident an hour ago.” “Is there anyone I can call for you”
I don’t know about you, but my life would shatter at the thought of my wife or one of my daughters suddenly vanishing from my life. My wife and both of my daughters vanishing would be more than I could handle. I would be at a total loss. Then the real pain. Taken from me by a drunk driver. My wife and children killed, but the drunk driver is at the local hospital being treated for injuries. My first thought? Why me, why my family, why did I lose my family when the person who caused this is alive and being treated. No matter what this person is charged with, or what punishment they receive, my life as I know it is gone. I would wish that I was in the car with my wife of 18 years and my children when their lives were taken, because life wouldn’t be the same without them.
I am sure most of you with close family would feel the same way. Maybe some of you have lost family members this way. An avoidable tragedy. Avoidable for only those who choose to drink and drive. Usually an unavoidable tragedy for the victims.
I have to admit, ashamed to do so, but when I was younger I drove drunk. I have never been falling down drunk, or to the point that my driving was severely impaired. But enough to by standards nowadays, to be D.U.I. I was lucky enough to never be involved in an accident or to be pulled over while D.U.I.
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But since becoming a cop, and seeing the results of a D.U.I. crash, having to inform Mr.??? that his family was taken out by a drunk driver, it all becomes too real. Almost every drunk driver I pull over says, ” I’ve only had a beer or two” “I’m fine to drive”
But they can’t stand up on their own two feet without swaying or stumbling, or slurring their words. I mentioned being the victim of BOTH sides of D.U.I. The first side is the real tragic side, the loss of a loved one. The other side, is the loss of privileges and $$$$$ due to a D.U.I. If you are lucky, and just get pulled over drunk without an accident, you automatically lose your drivers license and get a hefty $$$$$$ fine, along with a cancellation or increase in insurance rates. No license or insurance? Your gonna drive anyway? O.K., now add getting your car impounded for 30 days (or sold for multiple offenses) and warrants for your arrest for driving without a license. BIG $$$$$$ now. But now, you become a suspect.
But now add an accident while intoxicated. Someone’s hurt? A FELONY. Wow, serious now. Don’t try to go home and report the car stolen, old trick that wont work. Do you really want the deaths of innocent people or children on your conscious? Everyone has someone who they care for or love in their lives. A friend, child, parent, whoever. Try to imagine them taken away by a drunk driver.
Like I said, I had a past I was lucky with, but alot of people aren’t lucky. If one person imagines their loved ones killed by a drunk driver, the late night visit by the local police, informing them that their life will never be the same, maybe they will change their habits. Before they incur the $$$$$ loss of being arrested on a D.U.I., or being the cause of someone’s loss of a family member due to D.U.I. If just one person, out of the thousands who will read this, change their habits and refrain from driving after drinking, it is worth our time and effort to write this. Most will say “that wont happen to me”, but it will, The California law of .08 is not much more than a couple of beers or a shot or two.
Lets say you go to a bar with a couple of friends, have a few beers, and on your way home. A few beers, no problem. You have been doing this for years. Suddenly, traffic stops in front of you. You slam on the brakes but you hit the car in front of you. Whoops, you hit. You pull over with the other driver. Suddenly, a cop or C.H.P. arrives and smells the beer on your breath. You’re fine you say, but a field sobriety test (FST) or breathalyzer test shows you’re over the limit of 0.08%. Bet you wish you didn’t have those beers now. What would have been a normal accident report becomes an arrestable D.U.I. arrest of you. Bet you didn’t plan on being arrested, your car towed, and going to county jail for the night. Or the big $$$$ involved in the process.
WORSE:
You’re on your way home, after a few brews with the guys. Done this a hundred times. Suddenly, a block from home, a small kid on a bike darts out in front of you. Maybe a neighbor kid you know. You hit and kill, or injure the child. What would have been a possible accident, turns into a FELONY D.U.I. Can you live with yourself, let alone your neighbors? Chances are, you’ll be in jail for awhile. How are your wife and children going to survive with you in jail?
EVEN WORSE:
You make it home, after a couple of beers, no problem. 45 minutes later, you get the visit of a police officer that a drunk driver killed your daughter, son, wife, or a loved one. Suddenly, you become the “other victim” But it’s too late to realize then.
Like I said, If just one life can be saved by someone reading this, and changing their habits, avoiding being a cause of someone becoming a victim, or becoming a victim themselves, is worth the time it took to type this.
I still enjoy my beer, but at home. If I’m out, I make sure I have a sober ride home. Don’t take a chance. The one time when you think it will be O.K., will be the time you injure or kill yourself or worse, an innocent person. It’s just not worth it nowadays.
Think about your close ones before you choose to drink and drive. I do now…….You should too.
