Pubdate: Wed, 05 Mar 2003
Source: Montgomery Gazette (MD)
Copyright: 2003 Gazette Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.gazette.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/929
Author: Ron Sisler

DWI KILLS MORE THAN WAR

I'm amazed that many people will protest about the possibility of our
nation going to war. They state as their main justification the
concern about Americans and innocent civilians being killed and wounded.

Should we question their real motives - are they really concerned
about American lives being lost? Are they concerned about innocent
victims being wounded and killed?

During the 1960s and 1970s, more Americans were killed and injured
each year on our highways by DWI drivers than were killed and wounded
in the entire Vietnam War! How many of the protesters did anything to
stop alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers from causing highway crashes?

Highway statistics reveal that more Americans have been killed and
injured by DWI drivers since 1960 than the total number of American
killed and wounded in all of the wars during the 20th century. Many of
these highway causalities were completely innocent adults and
children. NHTSA projections are that about another 20 percent of the
highway crashes are caused by drug impaired drivers; those doing crash
investigation need to be more pro-active in drug testing.

If those protesting really want to help prevent Americans from being
killed and injured or they want to prevent innocent people (especially
children) from being slaughtered, then speak out against DWI drivers.
Write letters to our local judges, State's Attorney office, and our
state senators and delegates urging them to enforce and change our
laws such that the number of innocent Americans being killed and
injured will be greatly reduced. Crashes due to DWI should be the
exception and not the norm!

We can and must take action to reduce the number of Americans being
killed and injured by intoxicated and impaired drivers.

Ron Sisler,

Middletown
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MAP posted-by: Derek