Survivor urges: Stay sober during holidays

Get the egg nog: The holiday season is here.

Enjoy these gatherings and stay sober if driving. If you drive drunk, the consequences are grim for all involved.

I spoke to eighth-graders at Burbank Elementary School on Oct. 29, and made them aware of what a drunken driver did to me. Hearing the effects from a victim really makes a big impact.

When I was 16 in 1992 and a junior at Tracy High, I was hit head-on by a drunken driver. I was in a coma and had paralysis, with broken and dislocated bones. I went to three hospitals and a therapy clinic for two years. My hearing capabilities are damaged as well.

These children learned to remain sober when driving. They heard the importance of it straight from a survivor. Drivers should know that, too. Those drinking alcohol this holiday season should make plans to stay away from the steering wheel. A little alcohol may be too much.

Getting a taxi, a sober driver or sleeping overnight is the right move to make. This protects you physically and financially, and it saves lives as well.

Happy holidays!

LORI MARTIN

Tracy