THe Undisputed's Lovely Experience

[mvhplank]

@DaleWisely

@Wombat

Recently I heard someone say that as many people die on American roads as a result of drunken driving each year as perished in the attacks of September 11. (Even if this is something of an exaggeration it would still be a chilling statistic if it were even remotely close.) .

Oh, I’m afraid the truth is much worse than that.

The number one cause of death for 15-20 year olds is car collisions.

In 2002, The National Center for Statistics and Analysis reported that 8,278 adolescents (ages 15-20) were involved in fatal crashes.

324,000 teens were injured in collisions in 2002.

In the United States, 38,252 men, women and children died in automobile crashes in 2003.

# In the United States, 38,252 men, women and children died in automobile crashes in 2003.

Of that latter number, roughly 40% are alcohol related. It’s way more than 9/11. Year after year after year.

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/finalReport.cfm?stateid=0&year=2003&title=Crashes&title2=Alcohol

I was reminded immediately of a horrible accident in our area over the summer. One driver, age 18, was recently charged (see http://ydr.com/story/local/49002/). The unnamed driver of the pickup occasionally works for me and was d*mned lucky to walk away, but was pretty shaken for several weeks.

As an adjunct, I think there should be a mandatory assembly in school every year to explain how to be courteous when attending the wake or funeral of a classmate. The family shouldn’t have to fight their way into a funeral home, and they shouldn’t be subjected to crowds of wailing (or simply curious) teens during the worst moments of their lives.

Thanks, Dale. I had shared your web site with my acupuncturist, whose older son will soon be driving. As it happens, she’s also Jewish, so I’d like to share your story with her too.

Drive carefully, friends!
M