Students facing the consequences, effects of drinking and driving

It was just another Sunday morning in October. Trees began to color Bloomington with their yellows and reds, and you could almost hear a pin drop on Kirkwood Avenue if you listened close enough. Most students were snuggled in their feather beds sleeping off the Homecoming weekend. \nJunior Barbara Albea crawled out of her bed like any other day -- just a little earlier. It was 8 a.m. and she had agreed to drive her best friend across town so he could catch a ride back to Washington.\nIt was an early request but "Babs" Albea wanted to finish her hosting duties. With pounding headaches from drinking heavily the night before, the pair shuffled through the wet grass to Albea's black Bravada and set out. The drive should only have taken 10 minutes -- tops. But five months\nlater Albea is still feeling the bumps in the road.\n"I got pulled over a block away from where I needed to go," Albea said while rolling her eyes heavenward. "I got pulled over for speeding. I had no idea I was still drunk."\nAfter spending the night in the Monroe County Jail, Albea thought the worst was over. She had been pulled over for speeding but was shocked when the policeman gave her a Breathalyzer and told her she blew a .16 -- twice the legal limit.\n"I thought they would just give me a slap on the wrist and let me go because I'm a good kid," Albea said with a straight face. "I have never done this before."\nBut a slap on the wrist was not what the probation office had in mind.\n"We take (driving while intoxicated) offenders very seriously in Monroe County," said Indiana State Police Trooper Eric Dunn. "If they say that they have never driven while being intoxicated before it usually means they have but they have never been caught."\nAccording to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), two out of every five Americans are likely to be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives. Finding Indiana residents in potential\ndanger, State Rep. Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington, was active in writing Public Law 175, which changed the legal alcohol limit from .10 to .08 percent in July 2001. \nA former probation officer, Welch had witnessed the long aftereffects of both the drunk drivers and the victims.\n"As a nurse and a mother, I promote public safety," Welch said. "I recognize the tragedy of drinking and driving. A father of six from my church just died in an alcohol-related crash -- all for nothing."\nIn addition to Public Law 175, another law that took affect July 1, 2001, increased penalties for people driving under the influence. \nThese harsher penalties called for longer probation and jail time. Albea recalls her jail experience vividly, as if she spent last night in the harsh cell.\n"My biggest fear was that everyone had forgotten about me," Albea whispered with her eyes downcast. "I know better now. But I wouldn't have wished that experience on my worst enemy."\nBut the experience did not stop there with Albea. In addition to the jail time, she had to complete 14 hours of community service cleaning up the Bloomington streets. Besides community service,\nAlbea had to start six months of supervised probation during which she must meet with her probation officer once a month. After those six months, she will go on to six months of suspended probation. Her social life has turned non-existent and there will be no customary 21 shots on her 21st birthday.\n"The programs are very complex," said Susan Allen, a Monroe County probation officer. "These programs go on for about a year after the court sentence."\nThat year is filled with community service, road crew and being on probation. But most offenders agree the worst part is losing their license. \nBloomington resident Wade Stonier was picked up on his way to work at the local Denny's in Bloomington. He had been drinking with friends when he was called into work. Since his DWI, Stonier has found it incredibly difficult finding a ride to work and supporting himself.\n"The only reason I was driving was because I got called into work," Stonier said laughing. "It is kind of ironic because I was trying to be responsible and now I have to rely on my friends to take me to work so I can make money and pay for all of the costs."\nCost plays a major role in the aftereffects of a DWI conviction. Costs of attorney fees and basic probation fees could pay for a trip to Australia and back for spring break.\nAccording to the Rutgers University Police Department, all persons convicted of a DWI must pay an insurance surcharge of at least $1,000 per year for three years. In addition, first-time offenders add fees and charges of at least $475 for basic costs.\n"There are so many costs." Allen said. "There are fines, court costs, probation and user fees. It is sad because that is money that did not have to be spent for something that didn't need to happen."\nBut it is happening. MADD Online keeps a record of state-by-state traffic fatalities. In 2001, Indiana totaled 909 traffic deaths with 337 of those considered alcohol-related, which is lower than the national average.\nAlthough there have not been drastic changes in numbers of arrests since the law was changed in 2001, Welch confirmed the number of Indiana arrests has been increasing.\n"There is stricter enforcement," she said. "If you catch people early, there are less deaths. We take drinking and driving very seriously."\nSo seriously that every person convicted of a DWI must attend a Victim Impact Panel in their surrounding area. On March 4, the Bloomington High School South auditorium held more than 400 people who had been convicted this past year. A driver must go to one of the panels to successfully complete the probation process.\nLisa Fargas, leader of the MADD chapter in Monroe County, leads the panel discussions that consist of four to five panelists speaking to the packed gym about their experiences with drinking and driving. Tears flowed freely as Larry Hayward explained how his only daughter and grandson lost their lives to a drunk driver in the middle of the day. \nHayward went on to explain other countries' tactics of dealing with drunk drivers. He shocked the audience by announcing a first-time offense in Israel landed a driver in jail for two years and a\nsecond-time offense in Bulgaria left a driver in front of a firing squad. \nFellow treatment counselor Gus Mathias closed the panel by giving his point of view as a self- proclaimed drunk. He tried giving advice, such as never taking your car where you know you will drink. But his shock value came through statistics.\n"25,392 people have been killed by drunk drivers since Sept. 11," Mathias said while sticking his hands in his pockets. "When was the last time you heard about that in the newspaper? During\nthe Vietnam War, 58,000 Americans were killed. We don't need an enemy. We are the enemy." \nDunn was assigned to work at the panel and to assist the probation department in making sure the people who attend are sober. But he has his doubts whether the programs work to keep drivers from drinking again.\n"These programs are done through the probation department, and I think certain programs work for certain people," Dunn said. "I think there should be less rehabilitation programs and more prevention\nprograms for the younger people. I have seen too many repeat offenders even though the people have to spend so much money." \nDunn has not seen a difference in the number of arrests since the state changed the legal alcohol limit to .08.\n"This year my DWI arrests have been felonies, which means the person has had a previous conviction in five years and their blood alcohol limit has been way above .08," Dunn said. "The people we are seeing are .10 and over."\nDespite this news, Welch said she still thinks the law change will affect the way people will drink when they know they have to get in the car. She continues to stay hopeful for what the law will accomplish in the future for Indiana residents.\n"There was a Purdue study that said lowering the legal limit to .08 percent will save 16 to 20 lives a year," Welch said. "If it saves one life it is worth it. It may be your life or your boyfriend's that is saved by changing the law"