Booze It Lose It

Good people can and do make bad decisions. We see it every day when someone who has had too much to drink and they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and kill themselves or some other innocent person. To make my point I reference an article written by Richie Whitt, a Dallas based sports writer in his blog, last week. He tells the story of a good guy, professional athlete and Assistant Coach of the Dallas Maverick’s Popeye Jones.

Apparently Mr. Jones was celebrating a series of away from home victories and had a little too much to drink. Motorists started calling local 911 operators to report a dangerous, erratic driver. Police stopped his vehicle and then, according to the blog, the fun started. Mr. Jones refused to take a breathalyzer, refused orders by the police to put his hands behind his back to be cuffed and then struggled briefly with police before he was forcefully taken to the ground where he suffered facial abrasions. Not surprisingly he was arrested for DUI.

What causes a normally friendly, by all accounts, good guy, make such a series of stupid decisions? The answer, “alcohol.” That’s right ole John Barleycorn himself. Alcohol intoxication is described as is a physiological state occurring when an organism has a high level of ethanol in its bloodstream, or when ethanol otherwise causes a physiological effect. In humans, common symptoms may include slurred speech, impaired balance, poor coordination, flushed face, reddened eyes, reduced inhibition, and erratic behavior. Drunkenness can cause decreased motor response, coma, or in severe cases, death.

Every day, 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion. But there are effective measures that can help prevent injuries and deaths from alcohol-impaired driving.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville automobile accident by a drunk driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your right. We offer free consultations to victims and their families. Don’t take on the insurance adjusters on your own. You owe it to yourself and your family to sit down for a free consultation.