Drunk driving is all too common among young people, especially those who are underage and feel impervious to responsibilities like preparing a Designating Driver or shelling out the cash for a taxi ride home. Working in a Seattle personal injury law firm, I see the results of drunk driving frequently and accordingly feel its weight. But for 20-year-old Ned Florea, a long and excruciating brush with death has hopefully taught him a tough lesson on why driving drunk is a bad idea. He now owes his life to a tiny pocket of air in the back of his trunk.

Late night on July 16th, 2011, 20-year-old Florea was driving along Le Clerc Road between Washington State and Idaho in a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon, with his friend 18-year-old Keefer T. Peterson. Florea lost control of his car and slid down an embankment into the Pend Oreille River, where his car was submerged upside down in the river. Peterson was able to escape, but Florea could not. Maneuvering to the back of his car, Florea found a small air pocket, and used it to survive as about ten helpers tried to pry him free. It was only after the car was towed 20 feet closer to the shore that he was pulled out and given CPR.

Florea is currently in critical condition at Providence Sacred Heart Hospital. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident but they do believe that alcohol played a significant role. If Florea is found to have been intoxicated at the time he will face charges for DUI. For tips on how to spot a drunk driver, click here.

For more information on the risks involved in teens driving, click here.

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