On the morning of Jan. 24, Ben Allison was walking home from his girlfriend’s apartment when he was hit by a drunk driver. Allison did not survive the incident, and has left people highlighting the dangers of drinking and driving.
Drunk driving is a consistent occurrence in our society. In the U.S., on average, 11,000 people die annually in DUI related accidents. Out of these deaths, 1,825 occurred to people between 18 and 24.
Alcohol has many effects on the brain. Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, and impaired memory are all side effects alcohol has on the body. These effects can be present within two drinks.
It is important to understand the effects that alcohol has on the body in order to realize how dangerous certain activities can be. The more alcohol you consume, the more control over your body you give up.
Accidents like Allison’s happen more often than we think. He was innocent in walking home from him girlfriend’s house.
Joshua M. Dunn struck Allison with his car before fleeing the incident. Dunn admitted to drinking the night before, and had been coming home from a party himself.
Dunn is now in McLean County jail on a $750,000 bond. Police say that because Dunn left the site of the incident, and it resulted in death, he will be tried differently and in a more serious manner.
This incident should be a warning for Augustana students. No one should ever go through the pain that the Ben Allison’s friends and family endured from one single person’s lack of judgment.
Augustana students are encouraged to use Aces for their driving needs. Keep these situations off of our campus.
Students should not put themselves in dangerous situations that could cause harm to them or other individuals. It is important to prepare ahead of time when you plan to consume alcohol.
Always make sure there is an individual who is going to act as the designated driver for the night. If no one volunteers to be this person, make sure that there is a safe way of getting to and from your destination.
Don’t let your friends and colleagues become another statistic. Plan ahead. Speak up. One night is not worth the loss of a life.