Drunk Driving Is A Common Arrogance That Must Stop Immediately

JAKARTA - Celebrity, Edelenyi Laura Anna passed away. In her last days Laura struggled with paralysis that occurred due to an accident she experienced with her former lover, Gaung Sabda Alam or Gaga. Gaga was later arrested and has served several trials. It is known, at the time of the accident, Gaga was driving under the influence of alcohol.

On November 2, Gaga was detained at the East Jakarta Metro Police Satlantas Rutan. Until December 9 yesterday, Gaga has undergone three trials. In the last trial held at the East Jakarta District Court, Public Prosecutor Handri Dwi Z explained the chronology of the accidents that occurred on the Jagorawi Toll Road.

The accident occurred on a dark morning, December 8, 2019, at around 04.30 WIB. Before the incident, Laura and Gaga had eaten together. Both were found to be home drunk. This was confirmed by Laura.

"It was admitted that he was under the influence of alcohol. Yesterday, Laura also acknowledged that in the courtroom," said Handri in the trial, quoted by Kompas.com.

The prosecutor also explained that both of them were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. Laura herself is known to be in a sleeping state. Laura woke up in the emergency room of the hospital with the condition that her whole body ached when she moved. While Gaga suffered lighter injuries.

“The seat belt is still on that's why yesterday there was a scar… When the accident happened, Laura was in a sleeping position. He suddenly woke up in the hospital. Suddenly (his body) was moved, it hurt. Echoes of minor injuries," said Handri.

In this case, Gaga was charged with Article 310 paragraph 3 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation. Gaga is considered negligent to cause an accident that leaves Laura paralyzed. Gaga faces up to five years in prison or a fine of IDR 10 million.

Laura's pain after the accident was serious. He suffered from a spinal cord injury, which is damage to the spinal cord that occurs as a result of disease, degeneration -- usually cancer -- or trauma. The damage Laura suffered was the third result.

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO) page, Spinal cord injury occurs due to a fracture in the bone that damages the spinal cord and its nerves. In some cases this injury can completely sever or split the spinal cord.

We know the spinal cord has a very important role in the body's work, including its function in transmitting messages between the brain and various parts of the body. Spinal cord injury itself affects several body functions, including heart rate, muscle movement, reflexes, sensation, metabolism, bowel, bladder and breathing.

In addition to spinal cord injury, Laura is also known to suffer from pressure sores. This condition is an injury to the skin and underlying tissue. This injury occurs due to excessive pressure on the skin. This condition usually also causes bony prominences as a result of friction, skin stretching, and pressure.

One other medical condition that Laura is experiencing is a cervical dislocation. This condition usually causes the patient to experience paralysis. In Laura's case, this exacerbated the paralysis caused by the spinal cord injury.

Drinking and driving. Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents in the world. Indonesia is no exception. Data from the Directorate of Law Enforcement of the Korlantas Polri recorded the total number of traffic accidents up to 121,641 in 2019.

Of that number, 0.73 percent were caused by drunk drivers. The figure is 888. All of the accidents resulted in 241 deaths, 195 serious injuries, and 533 minor injuries.

Data for 2020, quoted from the same source, recorded 101,198 accidents, with 0.71 percent or 726 occurring due to drunk drivers. A total of 201 people died, 184 were seriously injured, and 417 others were slightly injured.

The World Health Organization (WHO) report released in June 2021 explained that around 1.3 million people died due to traffic accidents worldwide every year. There are some of the most common causes of accidents. One of them is driving under the influence of alcohol and other intoxicating psychoactive substances.

The high number shows that there are still many people who are desperate to drive drunk. If we think we can drive well when we are drunk, we are wrong. This arrogance must stop.

Quoted from the Alcohol Rehab Guide page, it explains how the influence of alcohol reduces our ability to drive. When driving, the human brain must be responsive. The influence of alcohol will reduce our concentration.

Alcohol consumption also causes decreased visual acuity. In addition, we are also prone to decreased reflexes and memory. This is important because driving forces us to make quick decisions. And imagine what happens when we forget to use our seat belts due to decreased memory function?

The WHO report entitled Road Traffic Injuries also explains the risk of a traffic accident starting when a person has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.04 g/dl in his body. This figure is widely used as a reference for the authorities of world countries in regulating the minimum level of alcohol in the driver.

And driving with high levels of alcohol in our bodies not only increases the risk of accidents but also has the potential to exacerbate the impact of accidents on us. An increase in blood alcohol levels is associated with an increase in the severity of the injury.

In a fatal accident, alcoholics have a 17-fold higher risk of death than non-drinkers. Any substance that causes disturbances in the central nervous system has the potential to reduce a person's ability to anticipate the effects of an accident.

The body is known to have its own reaction that is able to anticipate the impact of an accident. And when the body's functions--caused by a decrease in the function of the central nervous system--is disturbed, its ability to minimize the impact of an accident does not work optimally.

In the same document, the World Health Organization (WHO) provides a kind of guideline that can be applied by the authorities of world countries in their traffic policy and law enforcement. First, of course the setting of alcohol limits.

WHO recommends 0.05 g/dl as the maximum limit for blood alcohol content. This figure can be applied generally. Meanwhile, specifically for adolescents, the safe number recommended by WHO is 0.02 g/dl.

This difference is based on a number of studies which conclude that adolescents are a more vulnerable group in the context of traffic accidents. In addition to limiting blood alcohol content, WHO also encourages authorities to use breath testing devices.

Indonesia has implemented this. Traffic police officers in general have been equipped with Drager Alcotest 7510, a tool to test the alcohol level in a driver's body.

Meanwhile, there are no standard rules regarding the level of alcohol tolerance in the driver's body in traffic rules and policies. The rules governing the prohibition of drunk driving are Law No. 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation. Precisely in article 106 paragraph (1).

The regulation stipulates that everyone who drives on the road must drive their vehicle fairly and with full concentration. Drivers are prohibited from driving in conditions that can reduce concentration, including drunkenness.

The consequences of violating the article above are regulated in article 283 of the same law. It is explained that "a person who drives unreasonably and carries out other activities or is influenced by a condition that results in impaired concentration while driving on the road as referred to in Article 106 paragraph (1) shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of three months or a fine of a maximum of Rp. 750 thousand. "

Drunk driving can also be charged with Article 311 of Law 22/2009.

(1) Anyone who intentionally drives a Motorized Vehicle in a manner or condition that endangers life or property shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of 1 (one) year or a fine of a maximum of Rp.3,000,000.00 (three million rupiah).

(2) In the event that the act as referred to in paragraph (1) results in a Traffic Accident with damage to the Vehicle and/or goods as referred to in Article 229 paragraph (2), the perpetrator shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 2 (two) years or a maximum fine of IDR 4,000,000.00 (four million rupiah).

(3) In the event that the act as referred to in paragraph (1) results in a Traffic Accident with minor injuries and damage to the Vehicle and/or goods as referred to in Article 229 paragraph (3), the perpetrator shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 4 (four) years. or a maximum fine of IDR 8,000,000.00 (eight million rupiah).

(4) In the event that the act as referred to in paragraph (1) results in a Traffic Accident with the victim being seriously injured as referred to in Article 229 paragraph (4), the perpetrator shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 10 (ten) years or a maximum fine of Rp. 20,000,000. ,00 (twenty million rupiah).

(5) In the event that the act as referred to in paragraph (4) results in the death of another person, the perpetrator shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 12 (twelve) years or a maximum fine of Rp. 24,000,000.00 (twenty four million rupiah).

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