Drunk Driving Punishment

Did you know that drunk driving accidents have increased over 37% in the last 5 years alone?  This was after a decrease the previous 8 years.  This certainly makes you wonder if the law enforcement agencies are doing a good enough job stopping these criminals.  Clearly drunk driving punishments are not strong enough to deter the potential offenders, and in my humble opinion need to be re-examined by the States of this great nation.

Last year a buddy of mine was pulled over intoxicated.  He was leaving a local bar and only had about 4 miles to drive.  After drinking 7 rum and cokes, he decided to get behind the wheel, clearly drunk.  Moments after pulling out of his parking spot he tapped the bumper of a vehicle in front of him.  The police arrived and arrested him for DUI.  The next morning he was home, sleeping off his hangover, and not all that worried about his arrest the night before.  To my amazement his only punishment for an offense that could have killed someone was a 30 day license suspension, a minimal fine (one which did not make much of an impression on him), as well as a mandatory attendance of drunk driver’s education classes.

Many States have seemingly taken the easy way out since there are so many drunk driving arrests throughout the country.  Rather than locking all these people up, or spending the money to increase the punishments, they slap violaters on the wrist and hope that does the job.

Drunk Driving Punishments only are Harsh for Repeat Offenders

It’s not until you are pulled over intoxicated for a second or third time that the punishment seems to fit the crime.  After a 2nd DUI, the drunk driver will usually face jail time, an even larger fine, as well as up to 1 year suspension of their license. Basically this is telling drivers that they have one free pass.  Ask yourself this.  If your loved one was killed by a drunk on the road, would you feel like it was ok to simply slap one of these criminals on the wrist?   The facts are that any drunk driver could kill another person just as easily as the next.  Simply because one of them lucked out, and thank god, didn’t kill anyone, doesn’t mean that they should be given basically no punishment at all.

I urge all of you to write your State Governments and request that their politicians increase the punishment that drunk drivers receive whether it’s their first offense, second, third or more.