As a part of his crime prevention assignment, Tazewell County sheriff's deputy John Shallenberger travels to area schools area to educate teenagers about the consequences they will face if they choose to drive drunk.
“Just showing them what are going to be the dangers, especially being a new driver,” Shallenberger said. “What we want to tell them, how bad it [driving drunk] can be, anything like that that we can share.”
Some of those consequences include the lesser-known costs of DUI, including missing time at work while in custody, and their insurance rates going up.
Shallenberger said a DUI may cost $18,000, not including court costs.
There also is the part of the DUI sentencing where a breath alcohol instrument gets placed into the offender's vehicle. The driver is required to blow into it, and if there is alcohol in their system, they are allowed to drive.
While the discussions Shallenberger has in schools are good for preventing teenagers from drinking and driving, there is no formal education system for adults.
Social media is used to get the word out to those who are not in school.
“We [local agencies] are all trying to do as many social media pushes as we can to remind people ‘Drive sober or be pulled over,’” Shallenberger said. “Also promoting safe car sharing. Either taking a taxi, Uber, anything like that.”
Shallenberger also shares real stories of drunk driving accidents. Students and adults alike can learn news of celebrities who have either died or felt the repercussions of driving in an intoxicated state. This can serve as a warning for them. So can stories from Tazewell County.
“Over the years, I’ve been able to work with the parents of these teens that have been killed in crashes and just getting to know them,” Shallenberger said.
On the Tazewell County Health Department's website, you can find resources for responsible alcohol consumption.