Free Coffin For First DUI Holiday Death
This is a contest that no one wants to win, and no one really wants to see someone win either. It is, however, a strong message about drunk driving and it comes at a time when people do need a reminder.
In Maryland, St. Mary’s newspaper has run an ad, and as tacky and tabloid-looking as it seems, the message is sobering. Or so they hope.
The newspaper is having a custom coffin built and they will give it away free to the first person to kill themselves this holiday season by driving drunk.
The editor of the paper, Ken Rossignol, is a crusader against DUI. Each week he publishes a list of those who have been arrested for DUI in the community. He still feels that the message is just not getting through to people, so he came up with the coffin giveaway to raise awareness this holiday season.
Rossignol’s brother was killed in a drunk driving accident in 1975. He hopes that no one claims the contest coffin.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
[...] Thanks to The Law & Lawyers Blog for the tip. [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Seems kinda mean in a way to me…If your brother died in an accident..do you think your family would want him to be buried in that coffin? I’d be angry at someone trying to give me that crap.
Rude I say…Rude!
December 5th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Drinking and driving tolerance is too lax EVERYWHERE in North America. This is one thing that is pounded into your head again and again and again and again, and yet people still do it and kill innocent people.
This type of thing is exactly what we need.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I don’t condone drunken driving, but this is terribly insensitive to the family and friends involved. This is the same as if someone who opposes the Iraq war were to mock the death of dead soldiers or making fun of an AIDs victim for not using protection. Don’t use the lives of others to preach your message.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
I can’t equate a soldier’s death in Iraq to that of a DUI driver. A drunk driver made the choice to drive in that condition regardless of whether the choice would hurt other people. A soldier does purposely put himself/herself in danger, but for a purpose - you can’t say there is a purpose to drunk driving.
December 6th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
I get what the guy is trying to do, but really how is the persons family going to feel when they are the ones that actually “win” this coffin? It’s not the families fault the person killed themselves driving drunk.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:08 am
[...] Plan on Dying From DUI This Holiday? Win a Free Coffin! [News] A newspaper in St. Mary's, Maryland is offering a free coffin to the first person to kill themselves in a drunk driving accident over the holiday season. The editor's brother was killed by a drunk driver in 1975 and has been crusading against drunk driving ever since. It's a compelling message, though we wonder how effective it's going to be. Though we do hear Tony La Russa is an early favorite. Reading the guy's newspaper (St. Mary's Today) makes use wonder if he isn't a bit off. That being said, I'm sure most of us have lost people we cared about to drunk driving and hope that no one has to claim the prize. [Total Lawyers Blog] [...]