A Victim's Story

I have been a Police Officer for over 26 years and over those years I have investigated numerous alcohol-related crashes where people have died and many more have been seriously injured.

When I was in grade eight I received my first of three experiences with the death of a family member as a result of drinking and driving.  My uncle was a stock car racer who raced all across North America. He loved to drive fast and he also liked to drink alcohol. One Sunday evening a Police Officer knocked on our door and told my father that there had been an accident involving my uncle. My father had to go to the scene and took me along. He felt it was important for me to see the results of drinking and driving. When we arrived on the scene we walked up to a tractor trailer unit that was stopped on the roadway. My uncle's little red sports car had run into the back of the truck at approximately 100 M.P.H. The car had continued under the back of the trailer and didn't stop until it hit the cab section of the truck. I didn't recognize my uncle because of the horrific trauma to his body. This was a totally unbelievable sight that never leaves my mind. I have also lost two cousins in separate drinking and driving crashes.

Talking about this is helpful to everyone, including me. It is important to remember that if you choose to drink and drive you are risking death or dismemberment.

I cannot stop people from drinking but I can help them understand the dangers, limits and the importance of having designated drivers. Planning an alternate way home may prevent a person's death or permanent disability.

            By Don Shropshall, Community Services Officer, Huron OPP