What is three years?

Anyone who knows me, knows that drunk driving sickens me to my very core. It is the most disgusting and selfish act anyone can do. My blood boils just thinking about it.

The other day, my husband and I were coming home from a friend's house after a little visit. We noticed a van driving all over the road. I figured he was texting. When we sped up to pass him, he was not texting at all. So we drove ahead of him to minimize the risk of him hitting us... Well, when we went to turn off toward our house, he came within inches of hitting the passenger side of the truck, where I was sitting. That's when we knew for sure this guy was drunk. I got on the phone and called the police to report him while my husband followed behind him. Realizing he was being followed he turned into a residential area. We figured that the police know, so we will just go home and leave it in their hands. We turn around and head towards the house but who almost hits us again?! That same van! He stops at the Mac store so we follow him into the parking lot while I call the police again. Anyways, after all this, the police showed up at the Mac store. We gave them our statement and went home. I am so proud of the both of us, because by getting this guy off the road, we may have saved a life that night. Thank goodness, we will never know.

Although I have never lost anyone due to drinking and driving, many people have. 42% of all motor vehicle deaths are due to alcohol. 42%!!! Why is it that people keep drinking and driving? Don't they see the pain and suffering this act can cause?

The punishment for drinking and driving is laughable. The punishment for drinking and driving causing death is an even bigger joke!!!!

Last February, a 23 year old girl was killed by a 27 year old drunk driver. 23 years old! She had at least another 60 years ahead of her. She never got to graduate from her Pharmacy program, never got to get married, have children and experience all the gifts being alive has to offer. Her life is over. Her family will forever feel the void of loosing her. Can you guess at what this 27 year old drunk driver was sentenced to? ... 3 years! ..... 3 years?! Really?! She robbed a young woman of 60 years.

The "accident" affected her boyfriend, her friends and her family! 3 years?! High school is longer than 3 years! Completing a degree takes longer than 3 years! The Olympics don't even come around every 3 years! What is 3 years?!

What kind of punishment is that? You get behind the wheel and kill someone, and you go to jail for 3 years, when the other person is punished for life! I just don't get it!

Regarding the new drinking and driving law, the expectation is that it will keep drunk drivers off the road. HA! Who ever thought of that is not too bright. Drunk driver's are not going to care if the alcohol tolerance is 0.05 or 0.08! This is not going to stop the drunks who are on the road killing people! It will stop people like me from having a glass of wine with dinner for a fear that it could put me at a 0.05 limit. I'm not too worried. I'll have my wine at home, or my husband will drive. But the drunk driver's who are out there driving are not going to care!

Drunk driving is 100% preventable! Why take the risk in the first place?! Call someone, anyone for a safe ride home. Don't risk the lives of innocent people for your own damn selfishness. There is no excuse!

Thanks for reading,

Danielle