High school athletes are more likely to drink underage

Today's article in USA Today entitled, "Website warns athletes that alcohol can lead to prison, death" is a good reminder about the dangers of underage drinking. The article describes how the New Mexico Activities Association is launching a website (lifeofanathlete.com) to remind high school athletes about the dangers of alcohol abuse. On the website, the story of Gabe Gurule is told. Gabe, a former three-sport athlete at an Albuquerque high school who was being recruited by several Big 12 schools, drove drunk on Thanksgiving 2005 and killed three innocent people. He's now spending his time in the Central NM Correctional Facility in Los Lunas.

Perhaps the most telling part of the article is to point out that the program stresses to high school athletes that even occasional alcohol use can have an impact. They say, "A single night of partying, according to the American Athletic Institute, can undo two weeks of training. It can also have more serious results." Gabe proved that.

For parents of high school athletes (or even non-athletes), this is a good reminder of why we must continually talk with our teens. Please start the conversation if you haven't already. It may be your teen you prevent from becoming a victim or a prisoner in a correctional facility.

New Mexico Man Arrested for 23rd DWI

A New Mexico man was arrested Wednesday for DWI number 23. How is this man even walking the streets?

New Mexico Drunk Driver Fakes Death to Avoid Prosecution

Just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier, an alleged drunk driver in New Mexico faked his own death in order to avoid prosecution.

Even his defense attorney is disgusted stating, “I’ve been an attorney 30 years, and I’ve never had a client try to fake their death before," she said. "I’m flabbergasted, and I no longer want to be his attorney.”

Teen Sensation Raises Valid Points

According to this online report, Miley Cyrus is concerned about increasing underage drinking. The 16-year-old Disney star tells Glamour magazine, "At one of my very first awards shows I ever did, there was a bottle of vodka in my gift bag." She goes on recalling, "No one cared that they were giving this to a 12-year-old."

Some young girls, as young as five, follow Cyrus' every move, memorizing lyrics to her songs and hanging posters in their rooms. She has a huge following of young girls and it is good to see she has concerns about the nation's number one youth drug problem--underage drinking.

The earlier youth drink, the more likely they will become dependent and drive drunk later in life according to research. Interestingly, women are catching up to men in drunk driving and New Mexico's Department of Transportation has a new ad campaign reminding women, that they too, need to never drive drunk. Check out this website.

New Mexico takes the issue of drunk driving very serious being the poster-state for anti-drunk driving efforts nationwide and leading the charge with interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. New Mexico's alcohol-involved crash deaths decreased 19 percent from 2007-2008; and 35 percent from 2004-2008 because of its commitment to eliminate drunk driving.

If more young women and men stood up against underage drinking, and their parents too, the whole nation would see less deaths and injuries on and off the roadways. And, all of those 16 year olds would become more responsible adult drivers and be able to live a long, full life filled with graduations, new jobs, new marriages, and new babies. Now, that is the best of both worlds, as Miley says in her hit song.

Stay tuned to 2009 summer launch of MADD's parents' initiative aimed at preventing underage drinking by creating a clearinghouse of knowledge and a contract for parents and their teens to sign.

Man Arrested for DWI Blames Bad Driving on Spilled Beer

According to news reports, “A man with four previous drunken driving convictions who was stopped for weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 40 was ready with an excuse for his poor driving: his passenger spilled his beer.”

The man was subsequently arrested for DWI – his sixth such arrest. Read the complete story from KOB TV.

Research shows that those convicted of drunk driving for the first time have driven drunk more than 87 times before their first arrest. This is just one reason why MADD advocates for ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers.

Drunk Driving Crash That Killed Five Family Members Sparks Progressive Legislation in New Mexico

The tragic 2006 drunk driving crash that killed five members of a New Mexico family led to the state’s 2007 passage of a model law, which MADD hopes other states will consider.

When Paul Gonzales (36), his wife Renee (38) and their daughters Jacqueline (11), Selena (10) and Alisha Garcia (17) were all killed in the horrific November 11 crash, only 15-year-old daughter Arissa Garcia survived. At the time of the crash, the drunk offender had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.32 percent, four times the legal limit in New Mexico.
Read the complete story here.

Learn more about MADD's Victims Services.