JULY 2005

Can you believe it's July already?  Our recent weather makes it difficult to comprehend summer is here, let alone the fact that tomorrow is Independence Day.

In past articles I've written about how life experience has caused me to view holidays differently then I did as a child.  Today I'd like to share a couple of those experiences and hopefully promote discussion among family and friends that will help make this a safe Fourth of July. 

I'm very lucky to have a family who enjoys spending time together. That is not the case for everyone.  On holidays, family members often come together to "make Mom happy;" even though they sometimes don't get along.

There is immediate tension in the air.   Often, alcohol enters into the equation.  Before you know it, family members are arguing, punches are thrown (or worse), police are called, and someone gets arrested. 

This is exactly what happened in Mount Vernon on one holiday.  What began as an argument between two brothers escalated into a fist fight with one of the brothers grabbing a gun.   While fighting, the gun went off striking the other brother, who eventually died.  All this occurred in front of their children.
 
A few years ago on a Fourth of July, I was present at a one car power pole accident.  The driver, in her mid-twenties, reeked of alcohol.  It took the volunteer fire department more than an hour to get her out from under the dashboard and she spent months in physical therapy.  Why did people allow her to drive?  Why didn't someone take her keys?

I don't share these holiday tragedies to sensationalize.  I share them to provide a clear example of how lives can change in an instant.  Tragedies affect more than just the people involved.  Friends and family also wear lifelong scars. 

The majority of these incidents are preventable.  Family members, friends, tavern owners, and citizens; we all have a  responsibility to protect others from drunk drivers.  If you provide a location for people to consume alcohol, you better have a plan to keep the impaired ones from driving.  If they get into an accident, you could be held liable.  If you have a friend who has had too much to drink, be responsible and take away his/her keys. If you see someone on the road weaving in the lane of travel, has fluctuating speed, is driving aggressively, or demonstrates other unsafe behavior, call 911 and report it.

History has shown that after tomorrow, we'll have at least one alcohol related vehicle fatality in our State.  It boggles my mind that in today's world we can send a robot to Mars but still have people killed by drunk drivers.  I hope on Tuesday morning we find history has not repeated itself; unfortunately, the odds are against us. 

Please behave responsibly over this Fourth of July and have a safe and happy holiday. 

Sergeant Mike Don
Crime Prevention Division