Johnson Attorneys Group is proud to announce Brianna Egurrola is the winner of this year’s 2024 Never Drink and Drive Scholarship competition.
Brianna will study this fall at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. The 27-year-old Anaheim student wants to earn her master’s degree in applied psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal Poly Pomona.
Her career goal is to work to help law enforcement study criminal behavior and casework, she said.
She was chosen from more than a hundred of submissions to our law firm’s annual competition held each spring for students enrolled in a college this fall. Our friends at Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in California chose the winner from our eight finalists.
When she is not at school, Brianna spends time with friends and family, she enjoys fostering puppies, playing pickleball, yoga and volunteers on a crisis hotline.
Here is the essay submission from Brianna for the Johnson Attorneys Group scholarship competition.:
Brianna Egurrola’s Never Drink and Drive Essay
In August 2017, my 18-year-old brother and his four friends were involved in a near-fatal
accident after their vehicle got hit by a drunk driver.
The drunk driver collided with their vehicle causing it to roll three times and land upside down. Firefighters and first responders on the scene said it was the worst accident they had seen where everyone survived and walked away without any serious injuries. Aside from broken glass injuries, bruises, whiplash, and some scratches, everyone was just grateful to be alive.
Although the physical injuries weren’t severe and long-lasting, the mental and emotional toll has been taxing on my brother due to the accident.
Still, to this very day, my brother is unable to work up the courage to get behind the wheel and drive a
vehicle due to the fear of being hit by another impaired motorist or potentially hurting someone
himself. He has been in therapy for this phobia and lasting anxiety that was brought on by this
car accident, and he strives to finally be at a place mentally where he can overcome his fear and
be able to drive a vehicle again.
Unfortunately, these types of accidents occur all across America and negatively affect
everyone involved. Although my brother and his friends were fortunate enough to walk away
from their accident that day, this isn’t always the outcome for many others.
How to Raise Awareness and Prevent Drunk Driving
However, there are ways to discourage drunk driving, such as encouraging the use of ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft. These services not only save lives by keeping drunk drivers off the streets, but they also save people from the financial consequences that come with getting a DUI. Ride-share services
are a fraction of the cost compared to paying for legal fees, DUI school, fines, and increased car
insurance premiums that come from being charged with a DUI.
Some college campuses have a school shuttle that can be utilized free of charge instead of driving under the influence.
Additionally, implementing more drunk driving education campaigns across all social
media platforms could help bring more awareness. Schools and workplaces could host presenters
to educate or share their personal stories about the tragedies one can face if driving impaired and
post informational flyers/banners for public awareness.
Currently, all education institutions that are receiving federal funding have to provide Title IX training to students, which helps with the prevention of sexual violence/harassment on campus. Similarly, there could also be a mandatory course provided during orientation for college students that shows the dangers and consequences of drunk driving, and this course can be given as a refresher course every year, just like the
annual Title IX training.
Johnson Attorneys Group is a personal injury law firm with offices throughout California. Our firm is proud to be a longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Our annual spring essay competition is open to California students or students attending a California college. Read the full details on our website.
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