When Alejandro Renteria lost control of his SUV while driving on the Sierra Highway near Acton, California, he and his daughter rolled into a ravine. The girl was injured, but despite being hurt, scaled up out of the embankment to seek help for her father. Authorities are reporting that the terrain she had been hiking was “difficult” and in a “threatening environment”. The 9-year-old first found a home, but nobody answered the door when she knocked. She then sought help from the side of the road, flagging down a car that was driving by. Unfortunately, her father did not survive the crash.
The case is still under investigation, but suspicion of drunk driving is present. The young girl reported that her father had been returning from a party when he crashed their car. California has statutes that “allow for additional penalties for drunk driving conviction with a child passenger in a vehicle” according to MADD. Washington also has them. It is extremely irresponsible to drive while under the influence of alcohol, and is also clearly deadly. Putting a child at risk is irresponsible and unfair to them. In 2010, 211 kids were killed in crashes involving drunk drivers. In 61% of those cases, the child was riding with the drunk driver.
That is 211 kids too many. Thankfully, the daughter of Alejandro Renteria survived this terrible accident. It is important to always keep in mind how dangerous drinking and driving is, and to never do it.