Drunk driving has deadly results

Surrounded by an alcohol-soaked culture, college students often have to choose if and how to take part in a responsible way — including in the ways they travel.

When a young person is drinking, so much depends on having a plan, said LaRonda Scott, executive director of North Carolina’s chapter of MADD.

Scott said drinking and driving is a problem that significantly affects college-age students who are frequently in environments with alcohol and who are not fully mentally developed.

As of Monday, there have been 163 fatal crashes involving alcohol in North Carolina in 2015, according to numbers by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

One of those wrecks happened Sunday morning at about 3 a.m. as Chandler Kania, a rising junior at UNC, was traveling the wrong way on Interstate 85 near mile marker 163 when he hit another vehicle head-on.

The other car carried four passengers. Three of those people — driver Felecia Harris, 49, of Charlotte; Darlene McGee, 46, of Charlotte; and Jahnice Baird, 6, of Brooklyn, N.Y. — died upon impact.

The fourth passenger, 9-year-old Jahnia King, is currently in critical condition at UNC Hospitals.

Kania, who suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, was taken to UNC Hospitals. As of press time, he has been charged with driving while impaired, careless and reckless driving, possession of an open container of alcohol, possession of alcohol by a person under 21 and driving as a person less than 21 after consuming alcohol.

The N.C. Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the incident, N.C. Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Jeff Gordon said in a press release.

In the future, Orange-Chatham District Attorney Jim Woodall said he expects more charges to be added against Kania. The possible charges include three counts of either second-degree murder, manslaughter or felony death by motor vehicle.

Depending on the charge, Woodall said prison time is either definite or likely.

“It’s extremely tragic,” said Woodall, who visited family members of the victims on Tuesday.

Scott said tragedies like Sunday morning’s are far too common and can be avoided.

“It’s the one thing that is 100 percent preventable,” she said.

She said being prepared before having a drink can eliminate the option of impaired driving.

Having a trusted adult’s number in case of an emergency; using taxi services like Uber, Taxi Taxi and Lyft; or designating a sober friend to drive are all effective methods, Scott said.

“A designated driver is not the least drunk person at the end of the night. It’s a non-drinking person that you are with,” she said.

In 2014, 68 out of 234 driver fatalities in alcohol-related crashes were 20 to 29 years old — the most out of any age group — according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Riding with someone who is intoxicated can also be fatal, Scott said.

“Once you get in the vehicle with someone, you give them control of your life,” Scott said.

“For students, we encourage them — we beg them — not to accept a ride from someone who has been drinking or using any type of impaired substance.”

state@dailytarheel.com