THE HORROR STORY OF THE BENSKIN FAMILY
Horrific site – three killed in fiery crash in 1997 due to “under 21” drunk driving. My
uncle hit a car with two in it, he and two others were in his truck (drunk). It was a
huge fiery mess and only two survived the accident – the driver (my uncle) and one of
his passengers.
Who is affected really?

I’m affected – my uncle drove drunk at
20, killed his best friend, two strangers,
and my ability to ever consider him a
good person. I was 5 years old when
this accident happened, and I still
remember the heartache my Grandma
felt, my Dad felt, and my other relatives
for the pain he caused them because of
killing others.
TODAY’S SITE – ALWAYS REMEMBERED BY FAMILIES
The day my life got turned upside down – for my family, for what a family member did
Seriously, why does this have to happen, and we can educate students at a younger age to prevent
this!!!
Don’t let this happen to yourself or someone you
love!
Why
couldn’t this
be
stopped?
Parents didn’t
think allowing
their teen/20
year old to drink
would cause
this problem
Why do young people drive drunk?
They think it’s cool (it’s NOT!)
 They don’t think anything bad will happen (it
does!)

Their parents do it, so they don’t think
anything of it (it could happen to older adults!)
 They think they’ll make it home, even if they
get pulled over (think again!)

What happened to my drunk-driving Uncle?
My uncle was convicted of three counts
of vehicular manslaughter with 15 year
sentence - he only served 7 years
 My uncle was allowed to get a license
after a while, and he got caught again,
only no one got hurt – so he served
another 3 years
 He lost his license, lost his job, ability to
hunt with a firearm, and lost my respect

What else is lost because of this?

My uncle says he thinks about the accident and
really makes him really sad at times (some
depression)

My grandma paid for all his attorney’s fees and
fines – it basically took her life savings to help
him

He has a hard time finding jobs where “driving”
isn’t an issue, or getting to the job.
What about people under 20?
If they are going to college or about to
go, their scholarships are lost, and some
don’t get accepted in college, making
them unable to get a good job and be a
contributing member of society
 Their family members will feel shame,
due to the stupid risk their child took
 Now many jobs ask for your driving
record – they will find out!

What can be done?




Children need to be taught at a young age, that
alcohol is not to be used if you plan on driving, let
alone be used before the age of 21.
Start showing pictures of accidents to young
people in health classes and assemblies, or
special events. Use reality to scare them.
Show that using drugs and alcohol is not cool, and
that most adults are being responsible if they use
alcohol by having a designated driver who has had
nothing.
More, more, more at a younger age – then, maybe
the student can resist when the temptation arises.
Bigger Picture – what should be done?
There has been a “click-it or ticket”
campaign, why not a hard-hitting media
campaign targeting young teens about
drugs/alcohol and drunk driving under age?
• Make stiffer penalties for those caught
driving drunk under 21.
• Required jail time and community speaking
afterwards for any underage drinker/driver
that injures or kills a person. If you don’t
do your time, you don’t get out.
•
IT’S DECLINING - LET’S KEEP IT GOING!
Let’s keep this published trend going down – more education for teens
and their parents!!
Under 21 Deaths
The previous slide shows the declines as listed
by the NHTSA/FARS website – BUT. . .
Staggering Statistic from NHTSA/FARS:
Among 15- to 20-year old drivers involved in fatal car
crashes, 31% of the drivers who were killed had been
drinking and 25% who were killed in crashes had a BAC
of .08 or higher. Furthermore, nearly two percent of
these young drivers involved in a fatal crash had a
previous DWI conviction.
(Source: NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts “Young Drivers,” 2009)
ONE is too many when it happens to your family!
What age does drinking start?

39% of eighth graders report they have tried
alcohol at least once in their lifetime.

58% of tenth graders report they have tried
alcohol at least once in their lifetime.

72% of twelfth graders report they have tried
alcohol at least once in their lifetime.
(statistics courtesy of Century Council website)
What about your children – do you really know?
My parents always asked and gave friends their
business cards with all their contacts to be their
Designated Drivers, no questions asked!
NORTH CAROLINA

In 2008 – 49 Fatalities were involving Under 21 Drunk
Drivers in North Carolina.
 HOPEFULLY none were in your family
that are lost
 HOPEFULLY none were your friends
that are lost
 HOPEFULLY their stories can be shared
to make a difference so it’s fewer and
fewer every year!
(statistics courtesy of Century Council website)
Stay Alive and Be Smart
Don’t do drugs or use alcohol before you
are 21
 Educate parents on laws about
contributing to minors and their
consequences
 Make all people convicted of DUI/DWI
under 21, take a required class with
statistics and devastation it can cause
 Offer to be a designated driver

Don’t have the bad day!
“We had just gotten home from my brother’s big win at
the NC-USA State Wrestling championship, and there
was suppose to be a celebration the next day. Instead,
we mourned for what happened that evening in
Missouri. I remember my dad listening to the
messages when we got home at 2AM, not knowing if
my uncle was alive, and my parents talking about how
he had killed three others. I cried then as a 5-year old
and it still upsets me to know it could have been
prevented. Today, I worry about driving at night, and I
could be the innocent person affected (again). I hope
that by sharing this information, others are saved by
people “thinking” before they kill innocent people by
driving drunk, no matter the age!” ----- Kasi Benskin