Drunk Dad Asks 13-year-old Son to Drive Him Home

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Driving under the influence is the cause of hundreds of accidents and led to over 200 wrongful deaths in the state of Washington alone last year. As a Kent auto accident lawyer working at a Bellevue personal injury law firm I think that there is absolutely no excuse for driving under the influence and there is always an alternative way to get home, all it takes is one call to get a taxi or a friend to pick you up. However, if you do have a friend drive you home make sure that your friend is sober and most importantly make sure that the person you make drive you home isn’t your 13-year-old son.

This past weekend a car was stopped by Washington State patrol because it was weaving across lanes and continually stomping on the brakes. When the police officer walked up to the driver’s side window he was shocked to find a 13-year-old boy behind the wheel and his drunken father in the passenger seat. The police office immediately arrested the father and took the young boy to the station to wait for his mom to pick him up. Fortunately the child will not be charged with anything, because it was likely not his choice to get behind the wheel. Unfortunately the father will not be facing enough charges for the situation that he put his son into. Because the dad technically was not driving he cannot face DUI charges, but he is being held for reckless endangerment and allowing a minor to drive.

You have to wonder what type of parent would ever put their child into a situation like this. Both father and son are incredibly lucky that the young boy didn’t crash into anything or anyone. His serious lack of driving skills could have caused an auto accident that caused severe personal injuries or the wrongful death of another innocent victim. Even though he isn’t facing DUI charges, I hope that this reckless dad rethinks his parenting skills and never asks a 13-year-old to drive him home again.