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Keep hammering

In 2009, Washington state had 179 murders, according to the national disaster center. The Spokesman reported that Washington state had 264 deaths involving an impaired driver in 2009. DUI drivers kill more people than “murderers.”

The latest “Drive Hammered, Get Nailed” crime prevention program arrested 119 motorists in Spokane County alone. That DUI safety program probably prevented more deaths than all the other “murders” in Spokane County.

Those death statistics don’t count the number of broken bones and head injuries. If someone took a bat and bashed in a kid’s head, we would be horrified. Drunk drivers just use a car to batter children.

It might put things in perspective if the newspaper had a daily column listing the number of deaths and injuries from impaired drivers and from other murders and assaults. Let’s hope that there is more public safety money for many more “Drive Hammered, Get Nailed” programs.

Margaret Mortz

Spokane Valley

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