‘Don’t drink and drive’ isn’t that confusing, is it?

Editorial
Published: August 27, 2008

For years, we’ve heard the same message: “Don’t drink and drive.” It’s alarming and discouraging, however, that so many of today’s drivers fail to heed that message.

It was reported Monday that 42 percent of Alabama’s highway deaths last year involved alcohol. That’s 475 lives lost because drivers were either too selfish, too ignorant or too overconfident in their inebriated driving skills.

Imagine how many people’s lives were shattered because of the misguided “one more for the road” philosophy.

Mothers gone.

Fathers gone.

Husbands gone.

Wives gone.

Sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and dear friends gone.

Killed by drivers that fail to have common sense and common decency.

It’s one thing that drunk drivers put their own lives on the line when their blood-alcohol level skyrockets, but it’s worse when you take into consideration (they don’t) the other lives they are endangering.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that Alabama ranked eighth nationally among alcohol-related road deaths. Eighth. W
e found out recently we are among the most obese states, now we find we’re also a leader in alcohol-related deaths.

What’s wrong with us?

Our drunk-driving habits are so bad that we’ve got to spend taxpayer dollars to help fight it. Gov. Bob Riley awarded $1.4 million in grants to fund a DUI task force spearheaded by specially equipped vehicles that have on-board breath alcohol testing units.

It’s too bad that our state couldn’t use this money toward say … education. Instead, we must spend this money elsewhere because our people apparently can’t comprehend the “don’t drink and drive” message.

We’re not saying don’t have a drink after work or after the ball game. That’s your prerogative.

Just make sure “Miller Time” isn’t proceeded by a reckless journey behind the wheel.

Use your head. Think of others. Don’t add to our ridiculous statistics.