Two High Schoolers Die in Drunk Driving Accident MADD is a group aimed at preventing incidents like the one that occurred last Sunday. - MADD website Advertising Sunday, November 13, 2011 By Allie Hindman Sunday, November 9th, 2:30 a.m: Two teens, one from Lakewood High School and one from Wheat Ridge High School, lost their lives while driving drunk. The driver, Tyler Lovell, and his girlfriend, Rain Walsh died when Tyler lost control of his vehicle in Lakewood. Two others were in the car with them and survived with critical injuries. Lakewood police may file charges when toxicology reports return. Officer Tim Hindman estimates how many arrests have been made in Lakewood for underage drinkers, “Most likely, without DUI checkpoints, 300.” Nationwide, a total of 2,522 arrests were made for underage DUI. Incredibly, 60% of teenage deaths in motor vehicles happen because of alcohol. The families of Tyler and Rain are now members of the many families who face the unthinkable; those whose son or daughter is now dead because they made the decision to drive drunk. “My cousin was killed at nineteen due to a drunk teenager.” Hannah Trujillo, (10) says. There is a group in the United States known as Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD. They are a group that educates parents on how to discuss alcohol with teens. “The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime, and prevent underage drinking.” The law says that one cannot drink until they are the age of twenty-one, but why? Studies show that that teens have a different reaction to alcohol than adults. Teens were found to become drunk twice as fast compared to adults; they have difficulty knowing when enough is enough and therefore, teenagers naturally overdo it. This is why state and national legislatures believe enforcing a legal drinking age reduces traffic accidents and protects young peoples’ maturing brains. Efforts by MADD and the government are aimed at preventing the impacts of drunk driving and its after effects. Dakota Ridge students would do well to learn from the incident involving Tyler and Rain, and to continue to adhere to drinking laws.

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