April is Alcohol Awareness Month, which offers the opportunity for awareness of the consequential severity of driving under the influence.

Frequently, no matter what area one lives, we turn on the television or pick up the newspaper to hear or read about another DUI tragedy.

These tragedies are not accidents, but rather they are the result of an individual’s irresponsible decision to drink and drive.

In a matter of a few seconds, that irresponsible decision can change the lives of many forever.

Every day, innocent people get hurt by the carelessness of DUI drivers.

The sad fact is that it’s only a matter of time until the next alcohol-fueled tragedy happens on a road, because too many people won’t admit they had too much to drink or arrogantly believe they can drive anyway.

Last year almost 800 people were killed and nearly 30,000 injured in California as a result of drunken driving crashes.

These catastrophes didn’t have to happen. Drunk driving is completely preventable, yet it continues to claim more than 10,000 lives each year across America.  

Each day you and I share the road with two million people who have been convicted of drunk driving three times or more. More than 400,000 people were found guilty five times or more. On an average, these folks drive drunk 80 times before their first arrest.  

These repeat offenders have an oblivious disregard for human life. Remorse is absent. A change of behavior is absent. Sound judgment is absent. Understanding consequences is absent. They are clearly a proven danger to public safety, not only in the community they reside, but wherever they travel.

Most DUI drivers convince themselves that their destructive action was an accident. If they convince themselves it was an accident, then their guilt is minimized.  

Some of these drivers may utter the words “I’m sorry,” but those words are merely an instant, built-in mechanism that is used when they are caught.  

There could never be enough “I’m sorries” to take away the pain and emptiness that is in the hearts of a family and friends who have lost their loved one or have watched their love one suffer at the hands of a DUI driver.

The DUI driver is not the one left behind to pick up the pieces to a family's life. Their lives go on, as they will never feel the suffering that is felt by their victims.

Drunken driving is inexcusable and against the law. Negligent DUI drivers who are responsible for the death or injury of an innocent person must be made to face the consequences of their selfish act.  

Driving under the influence effects everyone. The impact of the consequences of DUI is pervasive and knows no boundaries.

People tend to think, “It can’t happen to me.” Yet anyone, in any community, including here is Lake County, may become the victim of a DUI tragedy at any time.

Statistics reveal that one in every three people will be involved in a drunken driving crash during their lives.

No one is immune from this hideous crime. It is time this violence be given the seriousness it deserves.  
        
Despite all of the sorrow we deal with each day across the nation due to DUIs, there is still hope.

Hope that one day people will understand the seriousness of this crime.

Hope that one day, more people will become accountable for their actions.

Hope that there will be no more drunken driving tragedies because of prevention.  

Hope that no one will ever have to cope with a lifetime of pain due to injuries sustained in a drunken driving crash.

Hope that all parents will know the importance of talking with their kids about alcohol, and that teens will learn the dangers that alcohol can bring to their young lives, before a tragedy occurs.

Hope is a valuable and powerful resource. We can all do our part to share in the hope that will help change the culture of this violent crime.

Judy Thein is founder of Team DUI and a member of the city council for the city of Clearlake, Calif.