The uncle of a teenager killed in an accident involving a drunk driver on this day eight years ago has appealed to motorists not to risk the lives of the public or themselves by driving under the influence of alcohol.
Carl Ferguson was killed by drunk driver eight years ago today.
The call has come from David Malcolm, the UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) representative in the Waterside, who spoke about the heartbreak of losing his nephew in a car accident in which the driver had been drinking.
Mr Malcolm’s 18-year-old nephew Carl Ferguson was killed on St Patrick’s Day in 2006 after accepting a lift in a car unaware the driver had been drinking.
Mr Malcolm said: “St Patrick’s Day is a bitter sweet time for me and my family as we remember the time just eight years ago when Carl was so cruelly taken from us.
“He had been out with friends and was walking home when they accepted a lift from someone known to one of his friends.
“The lads were unaware that the driver had been drinking. They cruised around for a time and then started heading home.
“The driver took a left hand bend far too fast and the car lost control and smashed sideways into a tree.
“Carl was in the back and took the full force of the impact. Despite attempts by paramedics to save him, he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
“The driver was found to be three times over the legal limit.
“We then had a court case lasting 11 months before the driver was jailed for four years for causing death by dangerous driving whilst under the influence of drink.
David Malcolm.
“What made it harder for us was that we subsequently found out that the driver had only just got his licence back three months earlier after being previously banned for drink driving.
“I don’t want to see another family ever go through trauma that my family went through and I would urge anyone even contemplating getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking to think long and hard about the effect they could have by doing so.
“Alcohol takes about 18 hours to pass from your blood system so if you’ve been drinking on St Patrick’s Day, the alcohol will still be in your blood well into the day after and you could still be driving whilst over the limit which will impair your reaction times and could result in you being involved in an accident.”
Mr Malcolm concluded: “It’s far safer and responsible to take the bus or a taxi and leave the Car at home. Being responsible could just save someone’s life.”
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