Daytime Drunk Driving On The Rise

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by Kirk Hawkins
Bio | Email | Follow: @kirkhawkins

Story Created: Oct 4, 2012 at 11:11 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 5, 2012 at 12:22 AM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Nancy Edwards lost her daughter Jenny to a drunk driver. She isn't happy about a troubling trend. "She just happened to be one of those statistics," said the East Charlotte resident.

The University of North Carolina's Highway Safety Research CEnter said there has been a steady
increase in daytime crashes involving alcohol in Mecklenburg County. Every year since 2009.
North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Jack Rose said he's noticed the increase over the last two years, "You got people without jobs instead of being at work during the day.  They're at home and then there's depression. A lot of people combat that with alcohol." Troopers say drunk drivers are more dangerous during the day because there are more people and more cars to run into.

"You would think after this many years it would get easier but it isn't. It's taken it's toll on our whole family," said Edwards. Six years after she lost her 21 year old daughter, Nancy is now channeling her anger into work with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, with one simple message.

"To have a designated driver...I think you hear it a lot.  There wouldn't be any DUI's right now and it wouldn't be on the rise," Edwards said. A message she hopes will save lives.

The University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center said there's been an
11 percent increase in alcohol involved crashes. That's statewide and in Mecklenburg County.
Researchers say drugs could also be a factor but its hard to track drug related crashes.

 

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