Drunk Driving, THINK🚙🍻

Drunk Driving

Emily Newman

Recently Racine was faced with a tragic loss of two Racine residents thanksgiving weekend. Emily Dalley (9) and Kevin Dalley (39) were killed during a drunk driving related crash.

Police have informed the public, that a sedan and a truck were both going east on 4 mile road, when the truth behind it, rear-ended the sedan at a high speed rate. Tragically they both were killed at the scene. A six year old girl was taken to Wheaton Franciscan Hospital and is expected to be okay.

Drunk driving is an all too familiar event that happens throughout cities all across America and sadly, it is common in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has a percent of 0.67% which is the sixth state on record for most arrested cases of drunk driving related violations. Families around the nation have to deal with the devastating aftermath that comes from drunk driving related incidents. Not only is it upsetting but it's highly illegal. Which can lead to lengthy criminal sentences.

If you're convicted for DWI, the judge may sentence you to:

• Pay fines.

• A short jail sentence.

• A long jail sentence, if you caused an accident that injured or killed someone.

• Probation or a suspended sentence, with restrictions on where you can go and what you can do (like being barred from drinking).

• Community service, working with local nonprofit community organizations.

• Drug or alcohol counseling or outpatient or intensive inpatient rehab.

• Install an "ignition interlock" device on your vehicle which prevents you from operating your vehicle if your blood alcohol content is over a certain level, typically .02.

• Other sentence at the discretion of the judge within certain guidelines.

• You might also lose your driver's license or have it suspended for a certain period of time. Or, you might get a conditional license with restrictions on when and where you can drive.

No family should have to deal with a loss of a loved one, simply because an individual was under the influence. The best way to prevent avoidable accidents, would be drinking responsibly and driving sober.