Wrong-Way Drunk Driver Kills Motorist in Kalamazoo on U.S. 131

Toxicology tests confirmed that drunk driver Jeremy Smeltzer who drove the wrong way in the southbound lane of U.S. 131 near Kalamazoo on April 15, 2014 and killed a driver driving the correct direction on the express-way had an blood alcohol content that was more than 2 1/2 times the legal limit for driving of 0.08 (it measured 0.214 percent).  The Michigan State Police laboratory test was released Friday, May 16th, 2014 to the Kalamazoo Gazette after they filed a request under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.  The Michigan State Police also released the trooper's car video that captured an image of the drunk driver speeding past the trooper's squad car seconds before causing the deadly crash.  This video is very disturbing because it vividly captures the senseless moment before two people were violently killed due to the utter stupidity of  a drunk driver.  The video also reminds us of the extremely dangerous situation that our Michigan State Troopers must face in the moments after such a fiery crash.  

Go to this link to see the Michigan State Police dash-cam video of this crash.  Hopefully, the release of this disturbing dash-cam video will further discourage drunk driving by forcefully bring the reality of the potential tragic results to the fore-front of people's minds.

"I Was Just Reaching to Pick Up My Phone!"

Why do so many negligent drivers give the excuse that they "were just reaching over to pick up their cell phone" after they have caused a tragic accident?  Do negligent drivers feel this is a more acceptable or less blame-worthy response to give the Police than I was sending a text message or trying to make a call?  Is this the way a guilty conscience forms the words so as to allow the person to feel they are at least taking partial responsibility for their bad behavior?  This week 21 year-old Chelsey Northrup was tragically killed when a negligent driver crossed the center-line while allegedly "reaching for his phone" on Parker Road near the intersection with Scio Church Road in Washtenaw County.  Additionally, this week a negligent driver allegedly "reaching for his phone" crossed the center-line on the dangerous M-14 and Barton Road exit in Ann Arbor and broadsided a car driven by a woman who was 33 weeks pregnant causing her to go into contractions.  These unnecessary tragedies should remind us all to put away our phones and seriously re-affirm the promises we make to ourselves and others to END distracted driving.    

Dramatic Increase in Women Being Arrested for Drunk Driving

Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) statistics show a twenty-one percent (21%) increase in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests among women during the nine year period between 2003 and 2012.  Annual arrests among women increased from 174,000 to 650,000 nationwide.  Interestingly, annual arrest among men decreased by nearly 17 percent during this same time period (780,000 down to 650,000 nationwide).  Social science experts speculate that the increase in arrests of women may be due to more women being in the workforce so more miles are being driven by women and more driving occurs at night when they are more likely to be arrested for drunken driving.  Additionally, experts believe that it has become more socially acceptable than it used to be for women to drink in public, especially among young women.  Finally, many states have eliminated first offender diversion programs, so more women are being pushed into the criminal justice system without an ability to by-pass it.

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning reports that in Michigan the number of drunk driving crashes have decreased for both men and women.  From 2003 to 2012 the number of drunk driving crashes for men decreased from 11,400 to 7,250.  During this same time period, drunk driving crashes for women decreased from 3,203 to 2,563 for women.  In 2012, 35 drunk driving crashes in Michigan were fatal for women and of these 68% involved young women between the ages of 21 to 34.  Substance abuse scientists report that women metabolize alcohol differently than men do and they do it in such a way that they're going to get more intoxicated at a faster rate.  If a 150 pound man and a 150 pound women have the same amount of alcohol, the women will be at a higher blood-alcohol content quicker.  With the legal driving limit for blood alcohol content dropping from 2003 to 2011 in many states, police are arresting more women for DUI's and as explained above there are many causative factors.  Perhaps more public service t.v., radio, and social media advertisements need to target young women warning them of their increased risks and encouraging them to use designated drivers.