Straight Talk Law Blog: Let’s Not Let Up On Drinking and Driving By Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer Jason Epstein

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In my new article, “Drinking and Driving – Still Serious Business,” I emphasize that, although the number of DUI car accident fatalities has declined dramatically since 1982, it’s still an incredibly big problem on our roadways. Too many innocent people suffer personal injury and wrongful death at the hands of motorists who are simply too inebriated to be behind the wheel.

That’s why I’m glad to see some high schools are taking it seriously enough to dramatically demonstrate to teenagers just what the dangers of drunk driving are.

Just a few days before prom night, a high school in Staunton, Virginia held a mock head-on DUI car accident, complete with fire and rescue crews – the video was streamed on the internet. Similar staged DUI crashes were on display at schools in Duluth, Minnesota, La Crosse, Wisconsin and in at Pocono Mountain East High in Pennsylvania.

It is important to show young people the tragic truth about drunk driving – especially when many grown-ups are still getting it wrong.

For example, the mayor of Port Orchard, a small town near Seattle, Washington where I have my practice as a personal injury lawyer, was recently arrested for DUI. The local police found themselves with a situation when they saw their suspect was the mayor – and called in the state police to administer the field sobriety tests so the official under the influence couldn’t use his influence to get out of the arrest.

We all serve as role models to those younger than us – especially people in higher positions like the mayor is. That’s why it’s doubly important for us all to monitor our own behavior. Otherwise, teenagers feel justified in saying, “Well, that guy did it – so can I.”

Drunk drivers don’t need to be handed any excuses. They just need to be aware of the dangers they pose to others – and to themselves.

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