Drink driving is a child protection issue
Drink driving and speeding kills. Speeding and drink driving are risk taking behaviours. A person who speeds or drinks and drives is more than a bloody idiot, they are a risk to children: my children, your children, our collective children. This is my value and I accept that not everyone shares it. Certainly some people do not share my child protection principles either.
Values and principles around child protection issues tells me a lot about a person. Those who engage in risk taking behaviour and law breaking are not going to always place child protection highly on their personal agendas. Certainly from a structural and political analysis, countries that allow drink driving appear to also have low impact child protection legislation (if any). I find this disturbing.
As a teenager and young woman growing up in rural Australia, drink driving was the norm. Everyone did it, even the local police men, the councillors and other town authorities. There was also an awfully high number of child protection cases. Ummm, I know that correlation does not mean causation but research certainly supports a link between alcohol and sexual assaults.
Always a few standard deviations away from the norm, I never drove if I had been drinking: NEVER. I have maintained this standard. I do not need laws or volume of cars/people on the road to convince me to not drink drive. My internal motivators, my ability to delay gratification (having a drink) and my commitment to child protection ensures that I obey my own value of never drink driving.
On honeymoon, we went to Norfolk Island. Drink driving was considered safer than drunk walking in their very hilly terrain. You know the old joke: Hi, my name’s Cliff, drop over some time? Norfolk Island is that joke personified. Cliffs, no street lighting and cows that have right of way; walking was just too risky. Similarly, seat belt wearing is not a road rule expectation. The thinking appeared to be that if your car goes over a cliff, a seat belt may impede a quick escape. Regardless of the reasons supplied to us, I did not drink and drive and I wore my seat belt…because those are my personal values of safety (and a lot of socialisation). I had no intention of putting either myself, my brand spanking new husband or other people in any danger.
Alison from Three Times Kewl lives her life around the effects of drink driving and speeding. Her post Get Angry reminded me that sometimes people confuse emotional reactions and behaviours. While many readers responded to an excellent anti speeding campaign with sadness for what happened to victim families (and sadness is appropriate too), Alison begs us to make distinctions and respond with anger to the driving issue: anger that people still speed and drink drive, anger that communities condone such risk taking behaviour and anger that maintains pressure on really changing an individuals locus of control so that they choose to not speed/drink and drive rather than not speed/drink and drive in case they get caught.
Anger is not being out of control as many people seem to think. Anger is natural and acceptable. Out of control behaviours are unacceptable (screaming, violence, etc). Anger is a motivator and gets things done. Anger is a secondary emotion under which sadness often bubbles. Please, use your sadness to get angry: anger gets things done. Speeding and drink driving kills. Speeding and drink driving are child protection issues.
Do not kill my children you drivers out there. I will use my anger to ensure that another person is never hurt by you again.
What’s your view on drink driving and speeding as a child protection issue?
Traffic Sign photo by sundstrom at photo stock.xchng
Fabulously eloquent post, Megan. Time to put some pressure on and stop being passive when it comes to unsafe driving practices.
Also – I for one admire your child protection principles.
Thanks
Alxxxxxx
I would also add drivers who text whilst driving as the third category of person who is a threat to children.
Also if you consider that a 16-17 year old is still a child (and I consider myself old enough to do that!) then children are putting themselves in grave danger by texting whilst driving – many have already died as a result.
Great issue to post Megs.
In my view, child protection begins prior to conception, and when the tiny feotus is in the womb and following birth (for at least 21 years!!).
I enjoy a glass or two, however I NEVER drive my car (or transport others) after more than one alcoholic drink. It is just not worth placing myself or others at risk of injury or death – for me it is that simple.
I believe that alcohol use, including when driving the family car can place child safety at SERIOUS risk, so yes, it is and can be a significant child safety concern. Enjoy a glass at home, with the keys safely tucked away….
What do other bloggers think about this issue???.
Alison: I agree – pressure for unsafe driving. If we view unsafe driving as a learned behaviour then it can be unlearned. If we each take full responsibility for our own driving and ensure zero tolerance of other’s bad driving practices then the pressure begins to change community attitudes.
Also Alison, I am very sorry that you and the girls lost your darling to a drink driver and speeder. What a waste of his life and your future together. Mxxoo
Driving Courses: Good point re the texting. You are right, the kids are putting themselves in danger. I have long maintained that child protection is a changed mind culture. Culture is learned, taught and caught. We can help our teens unlearn unsafe driving practices. Just like protective behaviours teaches hands to yourself, so it can teach both hands on the wheel.
It is an adults job to protect kids, therefore it is up to us adults to change the culture and keep our kids from getting hurt or placing themselves at risk.
Thanks for your comments DC.
Keran: I also like a glass of champagne or two. I am certainly not a wouser…just totally intolerant of ANYTHING that puts others at risk. Plus…I get tipsy very quickly so I can’t even drive after two sips
I look back now to when Jade and Rhys were little and I cringe. Drink driving was so acceptable and there were many people we drove with that had been drinking. If only I had found the gumption to challenge attitudes then!
To everyone: Bad driving is a child protection issue. Do not even go near being a child abuser.
Keep our kids alive and safe
.
On the drinking and putting your keys away – That has actually become a safety issue for us, too. I choose not to drink at all, and part of the reason is because I am a solo parent. If there was an emergency and I needed to take the girls somewhere, I have to be capable of driving – and I won’t drive after drinking.
Great to see people talking about this issue. You are the kewlest blogger in town, Megan.
I consider myself like many other parents and do enjoy a drink. I have either been dropped off by friends, taxi or walked or stayed home. My kids need me and I’m not about to risk the one constant they have in their lives. I will not be the one to cause the death or injury of any other person/child. It is amazing the number of people who still drink and drive and think it is acceptable cos they have only had a few. I witnessed an accident outside my house and the offender was drunk as, crashed her car into a fence and wiped 3/4 of it out. Right beside that fence/railing is a footpath used by many children and elderly people . She drove off with bits n pieces hanging off her car. Needless to say the police did catch up with her. What astounds me is this woman denied she was drink driving but a BAC proved otherwise. There is no excuse for drink driving.
Drink driving, speeding, texting or talking on a mobile phone while driving, I believe are definitely all issues that pertain to child safety. I am amazed at the number of parents I see, speeding or using their mobile with their kids in the car. Children do not have a choice but to get in the car with their parents and each parent (like those above who have explained why they wont drink and drive etc) has a responsibility to drive safely, if not for their own sake then, for the sake of their children.
As usual a fantastic post Megan!
A – it takes one to know one, remember. Mxxx
Nunyaa – I am like you: always a little shocked that people do such stupid things and then try to deny them. Good for you for using other means of getting home. I have at times been mistaken for saying that drinking is wrong. Hell no, I drink (and go to sleep!!!!!). It is what you do after drinking that becomes problematic. You get that drink driving is a CP issue. How can we transfer that knowing to others though??????
PQ – Pertinent point about the kids having no choice. The theme of this years child protection week is “Children See, Children Do.” If our kids see us drink driving, then they will do it also.
Thanks for your support of the issue women. Child Protection is such a huge area and I think we often forget that every single thing we do with and to our kids is child protection related.