Working to Prevent Drunk Driving | Video

Jessica Roose | 7/3/2012

You`ve heard it before, don`t drink and drive. But unfortunately it still happens all the time. A recent crime report for 2011 shows that DUI arrests were up by nine percent over the previous year.

Getting behind the wheel after a few drinks often leads to serious consequences. One father in Bismarck says it`s a lesson he wishes his son learned before it was too late.

Landon Meltzer loved to play football and dreamed of being a navy seal. The 21-year old even started preparing to join the military before all of his dreams disappeared with just one deadly decision.

"It happened where most accidents do, about three minutes from the house. They estimate that he was going about 100 miles a hour and went straight into a concrete pole. The only good thing I can say about it is there was nobody else in the car. He didn`t hurt or kill anybody else and I`m sure he never felt a thing," said his father Rob Meltzer.

Landon`s blood alcohol level was 0.19, more than twice the legal limit. Rob says not a day goes by that he doesn`t remember getting the news that no parent wants to hear.

"I knew the second the words left his mouth that my son had been killed that my life was never going to be the same."

Which is why he now tells his son`s story to young people once a month to try and keep them from making the same decision. He was disappointed to hear that a recent study shows that reported DUI arrests are up in North Dakota.

There were over 6,600 in 2011.

"We`re certainly motivated to continue to try to keep people from drinking and driving. But when they do choose to do that, we`re also motivated to get them off the road before they end up crashing and hurting somebody," said Lt. Jody Skogen with the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

The age group with the single most DUI arrests were between 25 and 29, just a few years older than Landon when he was killed in 2008.

Rob says it`s not worth risking your life over and will continue to spread the message in hope that his son`s death will save the life of someone else.

Rob gives his story at the Alive at 25 classes offered by the North Dakota Safety Council each month.

For more information on the class visit ndsc.org/alive@25.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO BISMARCK STORIES