Alcohol and driving just don't mix

Early this morning at 5:30 in Mahaska County, a truck rolled over into a cornfield after missing a curve. The County Sheriff’s Office said alcohol may have been involved in the cause of the accident, according to Channel 13 online news source. The two people in the truck were air-lifted to Des Moines hospitals.  There were three others injured by the accident and were brought to the Mahaska County hospital. The conditions of all involved are currently unknown.

What causes accidents is an interesting subject.  In this case the cause is noted to be partially due to alcohol consumption. But what causes the increased consumption of alcohol? Is it the economy, youthful exuberance or some festive event? It probably doesn’t matter. With the economy being in a recession alcohol is a way of drowning out the misery. Wall Street gets a trillion dollar bailout that includes billions of dollars in bonuses and what did Main Street get? The shaft. We got higher taxes, more debt and a front row seat watching our trade deficit increase. We lack jobs and it has to do with the influx of foreign goods and not selling American goods. So when I’m sitting at a stop light why do I see so many foreign cars? Don’t people understand the relationship between America’s economic health and whose goods you purchase?

We are like sheep being lead to slaughter. Too dumb to turn around and head in another direction.

Tort reform is sort of like that. A professional makes a mistake, causes an injury or the death of the patient and tort reform says the patient pays. We must be incapable of reason at this point in American history. I can see no intelligent way of understanding this issue.

And by the way, the driver is probably still liable to this passenger, but will depend on the passenger’s complicity in the drinking activity. Complicity under Iowa law can bar a passenger’s claim even though the driver is negligent. For the passenger, see an attorney. We are here to answer any questions you may have.