MELVINDALE, Mich. (WXYZ) — On a night meant for celebration, one decision can change everything. For families who've lost loved ones to drunk driving, New Year's Eve isn't a party — it's a painful reminder of why safety advocates are begging drivers to plan a ride home before they celebrate.
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"I still wait, you know, for that sliding glass door we have in our kitchen to open and hear Mia," said Denny Howard, father of a drunk driving victim.
On a night built for countdowns and champagne, police say the most important plan isn't what you're wearing — it's how you're getting home. Because for some families, New Year's Eve comes with a memory they can't escape.
"Together we've done this job 66 years, and a year hasn't gone by we haven't seen a drunk driving death," said Chief Chris Egan of the Melvindale Police Department.
Denny Howard is a father to a 17-year-old girl named Mia. He recalls the day that changed his life forever.
"I got a phone call from my brother saying that Mia and Faith — Faith is my niece — they were going to buy their or pick up their homecoming dresses. Said they got in an accident," Howard said.
He says, at first, it didn't sound serious until the next call.
"My brother called me in a panic, and he didn't realize how severe the accident was until he got to the accident," Howard said.
Then came the moment no parent is ever ready for.
"I will never forget the police officer who walked over to me, put his hands on my shoulders, and he had tears in his eyes, and I knew at that point that she was gone," Howard said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every day about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 42 minutes.
Assistant Chief Darryl Campbell for Melvindale Police says that kind of heartbreak is exactly what they're trying to prevent, especially on nights like New Year's Eve when judgment can slip.
"If you're gonna enjoy the holidays and you're gonna drink, please plan for your ride in advance," Campbell said.
Assistant Chief Campbell and Chief Egan say with options like AAA's 'Tow-to-Go' program and the Mike Morse Law Firm's free Uber voucher program 'Ride Free New Year's Eve,' there's absolutely no excuse to get behind the wheel impaired.
WEB EXTRA: AAA explains the Tow to Go program
"There are too many funerals and too many broken hearts. It's not worth the risk. There's no real way to know if someone's actually impaired unless you've been trained to look at it. So I say again, when in doubt, find another ride," Campbell said.
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