Well here we are on New Year's Eve and there is a lot of talk about parties and celebrating tonight. While you're planning your celebrations, it's important to keep safety in mind. Law enforcement officers all over the U.S. will be out in force watching for impaired drivers and taking a bunch of them to jail. You've probably seen the DOT commercials for "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." Thank a law enforcement officer if you see one while you are out tonight. They give up a lot to work these holidays!
As we all know, New Year's Eve can be one of the most dangerous nights of the year because of drunk and impaired driving. But it doesn't have to be!
Simply by planning to use a taxi, a sober, designated driver or just staying home to party, you can lower your risks. Of course, we have to be watching out on the roads for those crossing our paths who didn't make safe plans to get home and being alert to making moves to get out of their way.
MADD wants everyone to have fun tonight and you can do that safely. Always drive sober and buckled up.
And about those resolutions...
I've got some of my own that include the usual "eating right and exercising," as well as re-reading some literature classics in 2011. What about you? Do you want to help out in eliminating drunk driving in your community or state? Check out www.madd.org and find your local chapter. We need not only volunteers, but donors to help us do our lifesaving work. Please consider a year end gift to MADD.
Together, we are getting closer to the day when there is no more drunk driving. Let's hope 2011 brings us great strides in reaching that goal. Happy New Year!
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
December 31, 2010
December 1, 2010
December
December...the most wonderful time of the year? For many victim/survivors December isn't the most wonderful time of the year.
I remember well the December of 1991. My husband, Mike, had just been killed in late November and then all of the sudden--everywhere I turned it seemed--people were jovial, celebrating, shopping, and going to parties. I wanted to shout, "Hey, don't you see what I'm going through?? How can you be so happy around me?" I went to the local mall because I felt like I had to buy our daughter something for Christmas. I wasn't there very long at all when I felt like I was being smothered...like I was having a panic attack. I had to leave.
Of course these strangers didn't know what was going on inside of me. I looked like any other young Mom at the mall. But inside, the grief was excruciating.
And so here we are in December. Many victims of drunk driving crashes are going through just what I went through. Yes, it may have been years ago when their loved one was killed by a drunk driver, but they are still hurting. Or, it may have been since last December that their loved one was killed and this is the first holiday season without them. And seeing people having fun hurts them. They wish their son/daughter/mom/dad/other loved one was with them to usher in the shopping season or eat cookies or decorate their home. And the reminder of how they died is brought to the surface once again.
Take time to breathe and reflect this December. And remember, this will be behind us in 30 days.
I remember well the December of 1991. My husband, Mike, had just been killed in late November and then all of the sudden--everywhere I turned it seemed--people were jovial, celebrating, shopping, and going to parties. I wanted to shout, "Hey, don't you see what I'm going through?? How can you be so happy around me?" I went to the local mall because I felt like I had to buy our daughter something for Christmas. I wasn't there very long at all when I felt like I was being smothered...like I was having a panic attack. I had to leave.
Of course these strangers didn't know what was going on inside of me. I looked like any other young Mom at the mall. But inside, the grief was excruciating.
And so here we are in December. Many victims of drunk driving crashes are going through just what I went through. Yes, it may have been years ago when their loved one was killed by a drunk driver, but they are still hurting. Or, it may have been since last December that their loved one was killed and this is the first holiday season without them. And seeing people having fun hurts them. They wish their son/daughter/mom/dad/other loved one was with them to usher in the shopping season or eat cookies or decorate their home. And the reminder of how they died is brought to the surface once again.
Take time to breathe and reflect this December. And remember, this will be behind us in 30 days.
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