Will you be killed by a drunk driver this holiday party season?
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KENT, Wash. - The holiday party season is ramping up - and so are DUI emphasis patrols across Western Washington.
And in Kent, a young man who almost lost his life because of a drunk driver has made it his mission to prevent people from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.
Christopher Graham says he worries because it's that time of year for parties and celebrations. It's great that everyone wants to have a good time - but the key is to do it in a safe way, he says.
Graham was only 17 on Sept. 19, 2006, when his car was struck head-on by a drunk driver.
"I remember it like it was yesterday," he says. "It has been a struggle mentally and physically to get through such a traumatic event in your life at such a young age."
The woman who nearly killed Graham that night was sentenced to eight months behind bars back in 2007. She told the court she was sorry for what she had done.
Now, six years and 18 surgeries later, Graham still worries for others on the road.
"I was there once, and I never would have guessed it was going to be me," he says. "It only takes a second for somebody to swerve in front of you and end a life or hurt their own."
That's especially true during the holidays, when celebratory drinking is a tradition.
"Go somewhere where you can stay the night or plan somewhere to stay the night - get a ride - but it's not worth it, and its not worth somebody else's life - or your own life," says Graham.
At 22 years old - he often steps in where he sees danger.
"There's times where I've taken the keys from people and told them 'no,'" he says.
He does whatever he can do to prevent his own traumatic event from happening to someone else.
"It's definitely hard knowing it happens as much as it does because it can be prevented, and its easy to call somebody. Just call somebody instead of even risking it."
Signs on the roads around Western Washington warn that police are on the lookout for drunk drivers
Law enforcement officials say if you are planning to celebrate please be smart about it - don't drink and drive.
And in Kent, a young man who almost lost his life because of a drunk driver has made it his mission to prevent people from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.
Christopher Graham says he worries because it's that time of year for parties and celebrations. It's great that everyone wants to have a good time - but the key is to do it in a safe way, he says.
Graham was only 17 on Sept. 19, 2006, when his car was struck head-on by a drunk driver.
"I remember it like it was yesterday," he says. "It has been a struggle mentally and physically to get through such a traumatic event in your life at such a young age."
The woman who nearly killed Graham that night was sentenced to eight months behind bars back in 2007. She told the court she was sorry for what she had done.
Now, six years and 18 surgeries later, Graham still worries for others on the road.
"I was there once, and I never would have guessed it was going to be me," he says. "It only takes a second for somebody to swerve in front of you and end a life or hurt their own."
That's especially true during the holidays, when celebratory drinking is a tradition.
"Go somewhere where you can stay the night or plan somewhere to stay the night - get a ride - but it's not worth it, and its not worth somebody else's life - or your own life," says Graham.
At 22 years old - he often steps in where he sees danger.
"There's times where I've taken the keys from people and told them 'no,'" he says.
He does whatever he can do to prevent his own traumatic event from happening to someone else.
"It's definitely hard knowing it happens as much as it does because it can be prevented, and its easy to call somebody. Just call somebody instead of even risking it."
Signs on the roads around Western Washington warn that police are on the lookout for drunk drivers
Law enforcement officials say if you are planning to celebrate please be smart about it - don't drink and drive.
No, wab't planning on it KOMO ?
What a headline !
Will you be pecked to death by ducks this weekend ?
Why doesnt someone invent a key system where you breathe into a built in breathalyzer device inside your car before you can start it? People who are THAT drunk that WILL end thier own life or someone elses are so intoxicated that thier common sense is non existant and they actually think they are okay to drive....its sad that people have to get so drunk at parties that they wipe out entire families and not get hurt themselves...only when they sober up in a jail cell do they realize and understand what they have done. Â Too late, you ruined lives forever, even your own. Why drink and drive when you can take a cab or have a sober friend drive you home?? Or better yet, sleep it off on the sofa. You are NOT okay to drive, so accept it and save yourself and another innocent victim.
The average DUI arrested person has driven intoxicated 87 times before they get caught. Maybe we should have the new lock-out devices required on all vehicles.
After I get off from work, I'm going home so hopefully most people won't be drinking at that point.Then I'm staying in the whole night. Not worth it to be out on the road with the crazies.
"Signs on the roads around Western Washington warn that police are on the lookout for drunk drivers"
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That's good provided they do something when they get reported. We had a run in a number of years ago. We reported what appeared to be a drunk yet the 911 dispatcher did nothing. We followed the idiot from the covington onramp of hwy 18 all the way to oly where we turned off. He was all over the road and we called 911 6 times. Each time they just listened and said they'd dispatch the first available officer. Yet over that trip, no one responded.
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The other issue is that once drunks are caught, they're given a slap on the wrist and set free again.
One thing we know about drunk drivers, laws and penalties do not stop them. We have to stop them from being able to start their cars drunk, nothing else works.
 @Willow About 15 years ago I was arrested for drunk driving. Will not go into details, but it was my first time being arrested. I was fined $950, one additional day in jail and lost my right to drive for 90 days. I, to this day and every day I am alive will not drink and drive. So yes sometimes the laws and penalties do work. I believe it is the repeat offenders that we need to focus on. First offense is a slap like what I got, second offense it triples and third time lose your license for good. If one is stupid enough to do it a fourth time he goes to jail for 15 years.
From my understanding, the convicted DUI felon was employed with the Kent School district. After she was found guilty, she was let go. After the judge sentenced her to 8 months in jail, she was released after only serving 2 months (great judical system). and was re-hired by the school district...not sure I want a convicted felon working around my kids.
Statistically speaking, you stand a much higher risk of being killed by a sober driver than you do a drunk driver. That is way I always watch EVERYONE on the road. Not to lay blame on anyone but, I see way too many drivers driving in a "zone", "autopilot". Every night I see several people driving without headlights on and I think, "how can you not even notice that your dashboard is not lit up? Obviously you don't even care what speed you are driving." Sure, you may say, "maybe their dashboard lights don't work." Then I say, "that is a problem itself that should be fixed,,, now!"
Just a couple of days ago I watched a driver turn left at an intersection, RIGHT IN FRONT of a semi rig that was going straight. The semi driver had to skid for about 10 feet to avoid this idiot. Inches,,, seriously. A couple of blocks further I watched a driver at a left turn lane, with red light, decide to go across the intersection, across the two forward heading lanes and into the gas station on the far right, not even paying attention to the fact that he cut off several people that were going forward through the intersection at the time. Could have easily been a mass pile-up but, luckily, everyone else was actually paying attention to him. That time.
So, as much as I know that driving under the influence may impair a drivers ability to drive safely, I don't pay much heed to it because I know that we're all at high risk anyway, every day. Drinking has little to do with it.
 @SgtPepperSpray I've been hit twice by drunk drivers and lived to tell about it. thats two times too many. To date Ive only had one non drunk driver cause an accident with me. I guess we are close to 50 50
 @snow surfer  @SgtPepperSpray I'm glad you are ok.
@SgtPepperSpray  I saw an SPD officer driving his patrol car on Denny last year, at night, without the headlights on. Pretty crazy.Â
Decades ago, when I was a young lad riding my skateboard home at night from a friend's apartment, I had to jump into the grass on the side of the road as 3 cruisers sped by with no headlights, no siren, no flashers. I only barely was able to identify them as cops in the pitch black, there's no way they could have seen me. I'm not even sure how they were able to follow the road it was so dark. Scared the crap out of me! I'm sure they never even knew.
 @SgtPepperSpray I just bought a new a few months ago after having an older car for years. I have to say, the dash is lit up once the car is turned on regardless if I've turned the lights on or not, and there've been times on my very lighted road that I had no idea my lights weren't on. It's something I really dislike about the car. Yes, I take extra care to remember, but there are just a couple times I haven't. My point is, THAT is how some people may not be able to tell.
 @25yrfan  @SgtPepperSpray Good point â they beep frantically to warn yus you've left the lights on when you're getting out; they should be able to design a cost-effective (for us, too, not just their profit margin) sensor that notifies us at dusk, or even especially dark rainy days.Â
 @MargeGunderson  @SgtPepperSpray I agree. I think I'm going to mention that to them the next time I'm in for my service inspection, and ask where I can make comments.
I know what you're talking about and that is a poor engineering problem. But, most of the drivers I see driving without their lights on I can usually tell that they are not lit up by their dash panel glow. I can't honestly say I have never driven a block or two without mine on in the heavily lit areas, but I see some people do it in dark areas, totally oblivious.
Yes, this newer forum sucks. At least before you had a chance to edit as long as nobody replied yet. And, I sort of miss giving the blatant knuckleheads a thumb down once in a while :)
 @SgtPepperSpray haha Me too! Oh well. :) I drove to work a couple of times, and it's about 7 miles. I was mortified once I figured it out, but it just took a few weeks to get used to, you know? The older car didn't do that. :)
 @SgtPepperSpray New car. where's the edit button??
 @25yrfan No worries; it wasn't too hard to figure out what you meant. :^D
And, BTW people, turning right on a red light,,, you still need to STOP and yield right of way to traffic!!
And to you azzclowns every morning on northbound SR169 in Maple Valley that turn left onto 231st, if my light to go southbound turns green before you even start your left turn, your light turned RED a LONG time before you even made your turn!!! Just sayin'
Glad I got that off my chest.
@SgtPepperSpray I also suspect those same azz clowns would be pitching a fit if a red light cam showed up. Funny how the morons are upset about the method used to catch them breaking the law and not about the laws they disagree with.
I did my part to help end DUI's. I stopped drinking, nearly 11 years ago, and being pulled over for DUI were taken more seriously we'd all be better off. Why don't we get opportunistic politicians using these to further an agenda????? Why is it just gun deaths? Perhaps there's a better chance of now being shot KOMO??? Either way, I'm in bed early, leaving it to amateur hour out there.
 @Troglidite Congrats on 11 years! Treat yourself to something special and non-alcholic to celebrate each new year of sobriety. (and especially to sober DRIVING!)
No - because I don't go out when the crazies are loose. Stay home celebrate with a friend - go to bed early, get up late without a hangover.
 @contraryjim So you are home 100% of the time? Crazies are out there anytime, not just during the holidays.Â
@PrairieDawn @contraryjim True. But there are more of them out late at night, especially this time of year. I try to avoid being on the roads late at night, and I don't plan on going out at all tomorrow/tomorrow night.
@Silvia That's the point. The closer to the holidays, the later in the evening, the more drunks and crazies on the road.
There are a couple of reasons why DUI is such a problem. First, alcohol has to metabolize in the body. People metabolize differently. People can actually become more impaired as time goes on and the body metabolizes the alcohol. It is possible to start out below the legal limit and become over the legal limit as you drive.
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The second reason is our DUI laws suck. Mainly because politicians are guilty of it too. Strengthen the laws. Turn it into a felony THE FIRST TIME. We also should ban alcohol sales at events. How many hammered people drive drunk from a Seahawks or Mariners game?
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There is no excuse. You have alcohol in your system you are impaired. Whether you are over the "legal limit" or not is a moot point. Any alcohol will have an effect on your system.Â
@seattleemt
Our politicians and our judges and no, the recent Snohomish County one was not even close to the first.
It should be an automatic felony and at least two years license suspension, converted automatically to two years in prison if caught driving even sober during prohibited period.
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If they can enforce an automatic one-year license suspension for refusing the Breathalyzer By Someone Who Isn't A Judge, they should be able to do so for leaving the scene of an accident, since 98 percent of those cowards hide out 'til their blood is cleared enough.Â
Only in the case of cowardly hit and run, it should be automatic five years suspension.Â
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They can talk .08 all day long; I've always been a terrible lightweight and feel buzzed on half a beer (yes, literally, go ahead and laugh. :^D ), drunk on a full beer. My personal limit is absolutely zero if I'm driving.Â
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@seattleemt You got my vote.
I can't believe how many still get drunk and drive. Of course once people are drunk there's no logic whatsoever. I know if I have 1 drink of any type of alcohol I can feel some affect. If I had 2 I wouldn't drive. But if I had 3 or 4 I probably would. That's how it is for most alcoholics. I'm happy to say I'm not a practicing alcoholic. Not for some years now. It's like playing with fire.
Actually I shouldn't say I would probably drive after 3 - 4 drinks. I would have back in the day. but today I wouldn't even have 3 - 4 drinks at all.
Limousines may seem expensive, but i guarantee they're cheaper than a DUI .. Lose or Win the case, it'll still cost you $10,000 and up. a Limousine/chauffeured car is the way to go.Â
I take it you own a limo company.
Don't live in fear despite the govt's attempts. Go out and enjoy. But while you're out or driving, use the best of your abilities and judgment to protect yourselves.
Doubt it, in the big picture not many chances if you count the odds of all the cars vs the number of deaths as a result of drunks.
Not unless he/she crashes into my house drives up the stairs, manages to take a right hand turn into the bedroom. I guess it is a remote chance.
Our state needs to review and update all of our laws. Our laws don't reflect our current state in time and how we should handle criminals.
You troopers out there trying to stop these DUI drivers be careful. The internet if full of dash camera videos of officers being hit by drunk drivers while interacting with a driver they pulled over. Way too many videos.
The human interest stories aren't working. We all know someone who has been killed by a drunk driver or killed themselves from driving drunk. I was 17 when a friend from my high school died driving drunk. That was the first funeral that I attended. Frankly, it's a common story for all of us. Maybe I expect too much from local media, but how about reporting on facts and possible solutions. Something that could have been added to this story that would have caught people's attention is the fact that Washington is one of only 12 states that do not have sobriety checkpoints. We actually have it written into our state constitution, along with 4 other states (of those 12). So 38 states out of 50 do sobriety checkpoints. Again, our state is in the clear minority on a life and death issue. I hear so many people complain about drunk driving; this seems like an important fact to bring up. Do sobriety checkpoints discourage drunk driving? I don't know the answer to that question, but my gut tells me that they do. If our local media would bring more attention to actual policy and laws instead of human interest stories, maybe we could light a fire under this issue that affects so many families.Â
 @lakeview Same here,only my friend was a passenger and the driver flipped the car. He lived,she didn't. Another died when she was a passenger 10 yrs ago,he drove off into a river and left her to drown.Her injuries,if he had helped her out,were not life threatening,he hitchhiked and told the other person no one was with him. There is no reason at all for someone to get behind the wheel but ESPECIALLY if you're responsible for others in the car,tell them you can't drive.
I just don't get it. It can NEVER be the driverâs fault, intoxicated or not- it is ALWAYS the assault automobile that is the cause of any accident! Just like firearms, it is 100% the fault of the inanimate object...
This title shows the ignorance of the media. The question should be "Will you be killed by a driver under the influence?"  Over the years I have had four innocent family members killed by other drivers driving under the influence. None of our losses were during a holiday! In all three accidents, the other drivers were not hurt and served a mere 6 months to a years sentence.
Four family members killed. That's horrible. :(
I've been hit twice by drunk drivers who totaled my cars. One ran a red light the other actually hit me in a parking lot going about 50 mph.Â
 @justmyopinion I agree, raising the legal limit would be totally nonsensical. It's hard to believe that before circa 1968, the legal limit WAS 0.15%- the average person is fairly snockered at that point!
 @newdragon You're seriously encouraging the state to raise the legal limit? Just what we need to do, encourage more drunks to get behind the wheel. The .08 limit was arrived at after studying testing results, but you think you're smarter than they are? I wonder how many dui's you've had.
Agree'd, or at least make sure the person was driving on the wrong side of the road or excessive speed if your going to get them for .08.Â
Although I am surprized you haven't been destroyed by the onme drink is too many crowd.
What is with these types of negative headlines??? My husband just said this is the 2nd Headline he's seen like this today...REALLY??? How about less negativity, and sharing the # for the people who do drink to get a free cab ride home? 1-800-222-4357 NATIONWIDE
Negativity is a part of life. Wake up
 @Gigi Not part of my life thanks! It's people that feel the need to crap on others posts in a negative way that I do not associate with. Negativity is why people act the way they do today. My post was trying to shed some positive, in sharing the # for poeple to call.Â
 @justsayin I knew exactly what you meant, and by the amount of LIKEs, so did most readers.Â
Everyone is far too angry, polarized and defensive over non-existent slights these days!
Don't let those idiots make you feel bad or drive you out of here; I always value your comments even when I don't agree with your message. (This one, I very much agree with!)
@justsayin Wow! I gather that you have never experienced the loss of a friend or family member to another driver who was drunk or high! You are a sorry pos to feel that loss of life or serious injury is "negative"
 @raven A loss for these reasons, no.  How am I a sorry POS? Your comments are rude.