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The phrase "alcohol related" in this article is a little cavalier. It includes deaths of perfectly innocent people who get killed by a drunk (or a druggie).

That's what I used to think. I belong to a volunteer fire department in a rural county.

At a MADD meeting a couple of months ago, it was stated that we had four alcohol related accidents within the last six months.

I was quite surprised, since I had responded to three of them. One was a car with four passengers who had left a local saloon. Three of the passengers had been drinking. The driver had not. She was the "designated driver." She was sideswipped by a motorhome that crossed over the yellow line, lost control of her car and went over the side. No deaths, four injuries.

That's my favorite example. To make a long story short, only one of the accidents involved a "drunk" driver. He hit a tree that jumped out in front of him!

I am not trying to minimize the loss of life or the pain from that loss - whatever the cause. I just would like to see honest, if undramatic reporting. Then again, the truth of highway deaths might be dramatic if the media ever bothered to look beyond MADD for information.

To me it's no different than going to the Brady people for information on 'gun related' deaths. You know what that picture would look like, don't you?