Madison County
STOP-DWI


 
 

Could This Be You?

No one wakes up in the morning and says, "I think I’d like to get arrested for D.W.I. today. I think it would be nice if I embarrassed myself, ran up a bill of $4,000.-$ 8,000., and then was required to spend hours learning about Driving While Intoxicated."

Similarly, no one says, "I think I’ll kill or injure myself in a D.W.I. accident today. That way my spouse and kids can grow up without me. Perhaps if I’m lucky I might spend the rest of my life in a nursing home, brain damaged and ignored."

Even less likely is that anyone would say, "I might as well kill or injure someone else today. That way I can feel guilty for the rest of my life in addition to all the things mentioned already."

Why Does It Keep Happening?

Every year within Madison county hundreds of people get arrested for D.W.I. Since it’s not something that anyone wants to happen, how does it happen to so many? The answer is as varied as the personalities and lifestyles of the 70,000 people who live, work, or attend school within the county.

D.W.I. is a mistake made by people of every level of intelligence, income, and education. It happens to doctors, farm workers, teachers, and students of high school and college age.

  • A 52 year-old woman is arrested on her way home from an after-work wine and cheese party.
  • A 19 year-old girl is arrested following an early morning keg party in a field near her home.
  • A 43 year-old farm worker is arrested trying to make it home from an area bar.
  • A 39 year-old salesman, who is alcoholic, is arrested repeatedly during his work day.
  • A 79 year-old man, who drinks infrequently, is killed in an alcohol-related accident following the death of his wife.
  • A 45 year-old telephone repairman attends a summer office picnic. An inexperienced drinker, he is arrested on his way home after a minor accident.
  • A 36 year-old teacher takes a prescription medicine for seasonal allergies. She is arrested after she rear-ends another vehicle following a luncheon at which she drinks two gin and tonics.

Arrange For a Safe Ride Before You Need One.

The common denominator for many D.W.I.’s is that the individual didn’t arrange for safe transportation when he or she was sober. Once alcohol effects your judgement, it is much less likely that you will intelligently avoid the risk of driving while intoxicated or driving while impaired by other drugs. It is a simple thing to choose a designated driver before the office Christmas party; it is far more difficult to come up with a safe ride after most of your friends have already gone home. Talk clearly about this issue with your friends and family. For many years you have heard the slogan "Friend Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk." High school students have used a "Contract for Life" for many years. Following is version which you can down load and complete with anyone who cares about you.

 

Cazenovia High school students are shown during a mock D.W.I. crash which was reenacted in front of the high school on May 17, 2007.

 

Website design by Madison County