Don’t Drink and Drive, and Don’t Get in a Car with People Who Do

The last thing I want to do is turn this blog into an after-school special of sorts, but I think it’s important to remember that, while we talk about the financial and legal ramifications of drinking and driving, we always have to remember there is also a real human toll.

As a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer who routinely represents drivers charged with DUI, I see it every day.

I want to point your attention to a story recently aired by WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh about the reaction the mother and father of their daughter, a young woman who was killed in a car crash in West Virginia in which her boyfriend was driving drunk.

The toxicology reports showed, however, that the young woman – Ashley Jones – had not imbibed, something her mother told reporters she couldn’t wrap her mind around. Ashley Jones’ mother said she always told her children not to get into a car whose driver is intoxicated.

The boyfriend, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to nine months in jail.

In a word, this story is horrible. It’s tragic.

There are more stories I could tell you. Tales of innocent people driving down the road, killed in a head-on crash by someone going the wrong direction in their lane and driving drunk. In this case, the drunk driver had a court hearing for a previous DUI scheduled for the next day. He missed that one, but it’s ok. He had a preliminary hearing on charges of homicide by vehicle while intoxicated, instead. The man he killed was a business owner, and left behind elderly parents who relied on his care. It’s not just the drunk driver who was affected.

And that’s why I wanted you to read it. Especially this time of year.

We are embarking on prom and graduation season, and for so many young people, there will be celebrations galore where there may or may not be alcohol.

I just want to encourage the parents or high school and college kids to reach out and remind them one last time about the dangers of not only drinking and driving, but in getting in a vehicle with someone who has. But, if this happens in spite of all kinds of warnings, don’t delay in contacting a reputable Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer as soon as possible.

This Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer has represented too many people whose lives- like the North Irwin, Pennsylvania, family involved in this story – were turned upside down because of a bad decision to get behind the wheel.

So just be careful out there.

A DUI conviction is an extremely serious offense in Pennsylvania. While most youngsters think that partying all night is the best way to have fun, they certainly forget about the deadly repercussions it entails.

The fact is if young boys and girls want to celebrate their youth and utilize their freedom by drinking alcohol, they definitely can but they must learn to take responsibility for their actions.

You cannot get drunk and then drive cars too. Either you drink in limits or you don’t drive the car when you are not sober. You are not only endangering your own life by doing so but also putting another person’s life in danger too. If you meet with any tragedy on the road, which is quite inevitable, you will either be subjected to a DUI conviction or you will have to battle it out for your life in the hospital. In both the cases, your family and loved ones will also bear the brunt of your tragic mistake.

A DUI conviction can jeopardize your future career opportunities as well as academic aspirations. So, make sure you follow the traffic rules obediently. But, if unfortunately, you have faced any kind of DUI conviction, contact a reputable Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer immediately so that the court proceedings are not delayed.