Driver Safety: When Driving Drunk Becomes Deja Vu

May 24, 2008

Police are experiencing an odd sense of deja vu after a Truckee, California woman crashed her car just north of Lake Tahoe while allegedly under the influence. That’s because she crashed her car in the exact same spot five months previous. Both times, her blood alcohol content was well over three times the legal limit.

The 23-year-old woman was so intoxicated that she had trouble standing or walking. Her blood alcohol level was initially measured at .346. Do you know what California’s legal limit is? It’s .08. Last time, her BAC was .380. If convicted of a second offense, this young woman could face up to 10 years in prison and fines in excess of $2,000.

The reports didn’t mention other cars, so at least no one else was hurt. But such a high BAC means so much more than drunken driving. It means excessive drinking and the inability to make good decisions. This young woman is lucky that she didn’t ruin someone else’s life or kill herself.

It’s been said too many times to count, but it bears repeating when we see something like this. Please, please give someone else your keys if you’re planning to drink. Stay at home, or get a ride. Call a taxi. The cost of a taxi is much less than fines and jail time. You may think it can’t happen to you, especially when you’re young and feeling invincible. Don’t be dead wrong.

Image: Old Man Lee (Creative Commons on Flickr) (not the accident in question)

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor