| The simple answer is to not drink and drive, | | | | well being to people around the world. But |
| and for simple people that is fine. But | | | | today we live in a time that is unique in the |
| having worked with persons convicted of | | | | history of our planet. Time is speeding up so |
| drinking and driving offenses for over 20 | | | | rapidly the word 'relax' is only used as a |
| years, I know the answer is not that | | | | goal for the weekend. In 1863 Henry David |
| straightforward. | | | | Thoreau published an article in the Atlantic |
| | | | Monthly (originally an 1854 lecture called |
| The true answer is more complicated because | | | | "What Shall it Profit") in which he called |
| alcohol is woven into the fabric our culture | | | | for people to "Let us consider the way in |
| and society. It is a social problem as much | | | | which we spend our lives." He discussed how |
| as it is a personal one. Most people's | | | | idleness was considered the work of the |
| perception of a drunk driver is of one who | | | | devil. Relaxation or the ability to be at |
| causes accidents and kills innocent people. | | | | ease is a missing component to what once was |
| This can not only be true, but painfully so | | | | an essential part of our lives. In the days |
| to the victims of the drunk driver. But if | | | | of earlier America it was against societal |
| you consider the fact that only 10% of | | | | laws to run businesses on Sundays; idle days |
| drunken driving charges are felonies | | | | were the Law! |
| (involving injuries) that leaves 1,260,000 | | | | |
| misdemeanor DUI arrests every year in the | | | | Today people use chemicals for all sorts of |
| U.S. | | | | solutions. Take an aspirin, take a pill, take |
| | | | a drug and you can (and will) feel better. |
| Who is the 'average' drunk driver? The | | | | It's not the blame of commercial and business |
| question again begs for a simple answer | | | | interests; it's the responsibility and the |
| because if we could identify the problem | | | | irresponsibility of every one of us: drunk |
| driver then we could 'profile' him and | | | | drivers, drinking drivers and ordinary |
| prevent him from causing the problems | | | | drivers (sleepy ones, cell phone using ones, |
| associated with drinking and driving. The | | | | distracted drivers, busy drivers) that put us |
| problem of identification, however, is in the | | | | in the condition we are facing today. |
| question. There is no average drunk driver. | | | | |
| Yes, there are more men arrested for drunk | | | | DUI Attorneys have the job of defending those |
| driving than women (90% men), and a vast | | | | charged with drunk driving. But the drivers |
| majority of offenders are between the ages of | | | | need to understand their behavior and take |
| 25 and 40. But from my experience offenders | | | | responsibility for their own actions. The |
| are generally 'normal' people, hard working, | | | | rule of addiction and recovery is the rule of |
| functional and no different from most of us. | | | | change itself. The rule of recovery says that |
| About 70% of adults drink alcohol and most of | | | | you won't change until you are ready. This |
| those who drink, drink and drive... legally | | | | means that you must want to change because |
| or not. | | | | you want something more than what you are |
| | | | presently experiencing (in your life, job, |
| If we are going to actually begin to reduce | | | | marriage, relationship, family, etc). Until |
| the negative impact drinking and driving is | | | | individuals who drink and drive, or drive |
| having on our society we must look at the | | | | while distracted, suffer their fate then it |
| reason people drink in the first place. We | | | | will be society's responsibility to respond |
| must evaluate how we can moderate the degree | | | | and to take care of the 'fall out' from these |
| to which people consume alcohol (and other | | | | irresponsible people, through criminal and |
| drugs) and provide alternatives that have | | | | social means, until they themselves start to |
| some of the same benefits. | | | | understand that the responsibility of one is |
| | | | the responsibility of all and the |
| For as long as history can record the | | | | responsibility of all is the responsibility |
| activities of cultures and societies alcohol | | | | of one. |
| has reduced stress and provided a sense of | | | | |