Drunk Driving - Are we tough enough?

[cardaway]

After seeing some more stories about drunk drivers, killing at least one other driver in the process in each case, it has me really thinking about this topic again.

And then on the drive home I see a truck with two guys still drinking beers and they looked totally wasted (and no, since I do not drive with a cell phone I could not report them).

Do people think we are tough neough on people that drink and drive?

IMO it's nothing like it shoudl be. I think they should be so tough that people would not even consider driving after they have been drinking in fear they might lose their license for life or be locked up for at least a decade.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

Nope, not tough enough at all. If they were, we wouldn't have so many repeat offenders out there.

 

[DawnCt1]

I think the fines and penalties are pretty tough in most states. Most states require suspension of license for an extended period of time for a conviction and its an automatic suspension for refusal to submit to a breatholizer in Ct. The problem isn't the "law abiding" convicts; often its the non law abiding convicts that drive under suspension for a DUI. That of course results in jail time in Ct. Interestingly enough there was a barrack of Ct. State troopers who came to the attention of the attorney general. They were drunk driving and let go, some more than a couple of times. Yet, they were pulling over drivers who weren't drunk or had perhaps only one drink and advising them NOT to take a breatholizer which resulted in them all being convicted. Now I would guess that some of these drivers that were pulled over may have been drunk but since there is no evidence and all were convicted as if they were drunk, all of those cases will probably be dismissed on appeal. The cops in this situation are all in BIG TROUBLE.

 

[chrissyk]

No, I don't think that we're tough enough on drunk drivers at all I don't think that people who drive drunk take the law seriously at all, because the law doesn't have enough teeth to keep them from repeatedly driving under the influence.

 

[rie'smom]

ITA with Dawn. Most states do have stringent laws.
We could have the death penalty for drunk drivers and people would still drive drunk. At some point,the person driving has to accept responsibility for choosing to drive drunk or to drive sober. We can't government it to death. Did people stop committing murder with guns or knives,etc just because the death penalty has been reinstituted? No,we don't live in a perfect world.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Not a good day for me to ponder this!

 

[cardaway]

I laugh at the idea that a suspension of their license is tough/stiff. Loud.

I agree nothing will stop some people, but I do believe that VERY stiff penalties for driving drunk (equal to attempted murder, even if they don't hurt somebody) would make people think twice about taking the gamble of getting caught.

 

[DawnCt1]

I laugh at the idea that a suspension of their license is tough/stiff. Loud.

I agree nothing will stop some people, but I do believe that VERY stiff penalties for driving drunk (equal to attempted murder, even if they don't hurt somebody) would make people think twice about taking the gamble of getting caught.

I think for most people who make a mistake ONCE, loss of the ability to get to work and support your family is a huge wake up call.

 

[cardaway]

I think for most people who make a mistake ONCE, loss of the ability to get to work and support your family is a huge wake up call.

If that was always the case, then I agree. Way too many are able to work the system because too many people are not willing to really come down hard.

The only thing that would have made my experience today better (in an ironic way) was if I heard one of those many "we'll get you off if you get caught driving drunk" commercials on the radio after the seeing the truck.

And that is hardly how I would define mistake. There is no mistake made.

 

[DawnCt1]

If that was always the case, then I agree. Way too many are able to work the system because too many people are not willing to really come down hard.

The only thing that would have made my experience today better (in an ironic way) was if I heard one of those many "we'll get you off if you get caught driving drunk" commercials on the radio after the seeing the truck.

And that is hardly how I would define mistake. There is no mistake made.

Unfortunately if will never be always the case because there will always be those who never learn. Prisons are full of them. However, if its the case for many people, I would rather have the lesson learned than eternal punishment for punishment's sake.

 

[noodles]

No. DH and I witnessed a fatal drunk driving accident in 2001. It was the fourth of July and were driving home from DH's brothers home. We missed being in the accident by seconds. The drunk driver drove over the center line and hit a small car head on. When we got to the drunks truck he had rolled multiple and stopped upside down. He fell out of the truck with beer bottles everywhere. DH then went to the other car. The driver was already dead, the passenger dying the person in the backseat seriously injured. The drunk driver walked away with a broken arm. This all happened on one of the most dangerous highways in the state.

We found out later that the drunk driver had a suspended license for DUI. He had already been in multiple drunk driving accidents and according to state law they had to keep releasing him from jail. If the laws had been better he would not have been out driving again and the Father of 8 who died would still be alive.

 

[UP Disney]

Nope, not anywhere near tough enough. If we were, there wouldn't be so many people that think drinking and driving is ok.

 

[DawnCt1]

No. DH and I witnessed a fatal drunk driving accident in 2001. It was the fourth of July and were driving home from DH's brothers home. We missed being in the accident by seconds. The drunk driver drove over the center line and hit a small car head on. When we got to the drunks truck he had rolled multiple and stopped upside down. He fell out of the truck with beer bottles everywhere. DH then went to the other car. The driver was already dead, the passenger dying the person in the backseat seriously injured. The drunk driver walked away with a broken arm. This all happened on one of the most dangerous highways in the state.

We found out later that the drunk driver had a suspended license for DUI. He had already been in multiple drunk driving accidents and according to state law they had to keep releasing him from jail. If the laws had been better he would not have been out driving again and the Father of 8 who died would still be alive.

Apparently they aren't tough enough in your state. Ct. and Ma. have very tough drunk driving laws so I guess many posters will post from their own states and perspectives.

 

[cardaway]

Unfortunately if will never be always the case because there will always be those who never learn. Prisons are full of them. However, if its the case for many people, I would rather have the lesson learned than eternal punishment for punishment's sake.

I hardly find it punishment for punishment's sake, even if they don't hurt anybody.

It really sounds like you don't even want to keep things as they are. Isn't that too punishment for punishment's sake? Oddly enough I would agree the way things currently are it's pretty close to being that, because in many cases it's a total joke. At times it even looks suspiciously like nothing but a way to generate revenue.

But no, if they are tough enough, I think it's a very valid punishment.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

He** no, I don't think we are tough enough. Having my life permanently effected by a drunk driver, I have strong feelings about the subject.

 

[DawnCt1]

I hardly find it punishment for punishment's sake, even if they don't hurt anybody.

It really sounds like you don't even want to keep things as they are. Isn't that too punishment for punishment's sake? Oddly enough I would agree the way things currently are it's pretty close to being that, because in many cases it's a total joke. At times it even looks suspiciously like nothing but a way to generate revenue.

But no, if they are tough enough, I think it's a very valid punishment.

To Clarify; I don't have a problem with punishment for punishment's sake, I have a problem with eternal (forever) punishment for punishment's sake for first time offenders in which there was no victim. I think a lot of the traffic stops are a way to generate revenue. (drunk driving NOT included) DS#2 was given a $250 fine for "failure to lower high beams" (they weren't on) that was $125. "Failure to illuminate license plate". (The lights go off when you turn off your car engine) That was another $125. He plead not guilty, wrote a letter and his ticket was dismissed through the mail. Something tells me that the judge and the prosecutor have seen such things before.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Well if they really wanted to take care of DWI or DUI all they would have to do is set up at any bar or sporting event.

But they won't because the politicians are some of the ones getting caught and they all make big money from the Beer industry.

I don't understand the ones that will pay $100 to $300 bar tab and be to cheap to get a cab. Or the rich ones that can't hire a driver.

The bottom line is if you get caught then you should no longer be able to drive . All to many times they say it's a victimless crime right up to the point that they kill someone their first time out of DWI for the past 20some years every week.

 

[Luv'sTink]

No even clost to tough enough.

 

[ferris198]

Well I guess we will have to see how tough the laws are.
Just 2 weeks ago a family driving from Ontario to Disney were in an accident with a drunk driver. Father, brother and sister died on the spot. Mother and other sister survivided. They were buried today.
Driver of the other vechile was 23 and drunk, and unharmed.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

I think for most people who make a mistake ONCE, loss of the ability to get to work and support your family is a huge wake up call.

The thing is they can still drive to work. They make exceptions for work, school, daycare etc. I forget what its called but its a version of a suspended license allowing them to do the necessary things and no "extra" driving. As far as I know this is common in most states (the license gets suspended then they go to dmv and demonstrate hardship of not being able to drive to work, etc and are granted permission to drive there). Then all they have to do is make sure any driving they do could be somehow on the route to or from one of the allowed places. i know someone who got a dui and still managed to drive all the time. His work was 30 mins away and there were numerous routes to his work and he worked different shifts different days, so even when he was pulled over, he had a "legal" excuse for driving.

I do not think the punishments are near harsh enough. My sisters husbands family all have dui's, every single one of his parents, brothers and sisters and they laugh about it. I can tell you it has not changed their behavior at all. Its disgusting and makes me worry every time they watch my nephew.