Drunk driving has killed 29 times the number of people killed in the World Trade Center attacks so far since 09/11/01

I am preparing a talk I am to give next Thursday, April 26, 2007 dealing with the ripple effects of DWI on communities in conjunction with National Crime Victim's Rights Week.

It has been 14 years since Brigd and Ryan were killed on March 10, 1993. Brigid was 5 and Ryan was 8. If they were alive today, Brigid would be 20 and Ryan would be 22. Not a day goes by that I don't think about them.

I thought I would post some of the data which I am reviewing for my talk. There will be several articles on my blog over the next few days.

17,000 Americans are killed very year in DWIs in the United States. Since the World Trade Center tragedy in which 2,973 people were killed, 85,833 have been killed in DWI crashes which is 29 times the number killed in the World Trade Center.

We are entering prom season, a time of celebrating with alcohol for many young people. Here is a very graphic image produced by MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Comments

[Brian Werner]

God bless you for trying to bring awareness about DUI's. (10) Times more people are killed by drunk drivers that in IRAQ and if you get busted for it, you'll have to sleep it off overnight in jail, then you're let go and given a little fine 1500 to 2500. This country turns a blind eye to it'cause eveyone drinks but the laws have to change. It's scary that we protest the war on a daily basis, but thousands are killed by DUI's a you hear total silence from legislature.

[Judith Birchenough]

Thanks for bringing this out in the open. We just lost our neighbor and three of her grandchildren to a drunk driver. Yet, no one seems to really care. They protest our war against Iraq, which I see as a necessity to keeping our freedom alive. Booze is not a necessity, and leaves far more victims and broken families. The sad thing is, it is not the power of the booze, it is the power of the money backing it. You can't change the laws until people can accept what their responsibilities are to one another, and people start really caring instead of whinning.

[Tiffany Scheel]

I think that drunk drivers should be forced to volunteer for MADD or at a hospital to help victims of drunk driving. This tragedy takes far too many lives, and is entirely preventable. My condolences for the loss of your children. I couldn't imagine losing my son, and I know that every time I get out on the road that it is a possibility because someone chooses to drive drunk.

[Howison]

It is easy enough practically if not politically to install a device in every car which will not allow it to start when the driver has a blood alcohol reading above a prescribed level. The device is a few hundred dollars and are given to repeat drink driver offenders here in Australia. They should be compulsory in all cars.

[Drunk stories]

Thanks for sharing this information which is really excellent. Drinking spoils the entire life. It causes lots of problems out of it.