Chilling driving warning after devastating Devon crash
Surely by now people know not to drink and drive. And yet the courts are constantly full of those who have ignored the warnings and got behind the wheel after having had a few to drink. Last week, we reported on the tragic court case of Jacob Chugg-White,[1] who was sat in the back seat of a car being driven by his best friend when it crashed on a country lane near Dunkeswell.
He was thrown from the wreckage and died at the scene. Driver William Bennett, 24, had drunk five beers and half a shot before getting behind the wheel. He was given a suspended sentence at Exeter[2] Crown Court after admitting causing death by careless driving while being over the limit.
Jacob’s family were in court to hear the case. His mother said she had been ‘torn apart’ knowing that the person who killed her son was his friend. Now in a leader column in our sister print title the Express and Echo, we write about how heartbreaking the details of the tragedy were – and endorse the message not to put any other families through the same heartache.
Read the full leader column below Reading details of Jacob Chugg-White’s tragic death in a car crash were heartbreaking. The young farmer died after a car being driven by his best friend crashed on a country lane near Dunkeswell.
Jacob was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the wreckage and passed away at the scene. The driver, William Bennett, had drunk five beers and half a shot before getting behind the wheel. The 24-year-old was given a suspended sentence at Exeter Crown Court last week after he admitted to causing death by careless driving while being over the limit.
The court details were upsetting enough, but the following day his family – who had been in court to hear the case – issued a statement. As well as paying tribute to their son and brother, they took the opportunity to implore drivers not to drink and drive. They said: “As his parents and sister, we urge all young drivers to take a greater responsibility for their passengers and themselves.
If you drink, don’t drive. Don’t put your families through the heartache and trauma we have endured and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives.” We cannot endorse that message strongly enough.
It is normal at this time of the year for police and other bodies to issue reminders not to drink and drive during the festive season, including the morning after a night out when people may not realise they are still over the limit. But, as this sad case shows, it can be a problem at any time of year. Jacob died in July 2022.
It is well known that alcohol impairs the ability to drive, making accidents more likely and increasing the risk to any road users or those by the side of the road. Road safety charity Brake says that, on average, 188 people are killed and more than 1,250 people seriously injured every year in drink-drive related crashes in England and Wales. Those are all needless deaths and injuries that change the lives of thousands of people forever.
Brake is pushing for a zero-tolerance drink-drive limit, which it believes would remove any false impressions that it is safe to drive with alcohol in your system.
But even with the current laws in place, there is no need for people to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.
Please think of Jacob and his family.
References
- ^ Last week, we reported on the tragic court case of Jacob Chugg-White, (www.devonlive.com)
- ^ Exeter (www.devonlive.com)