Do you think that people who drink & drive - as well as under other influences - should be charged more heavily?

Question

I've lost family to repeat drunk drivers. I've known friends who have lost family to drunk drivers. I've read stories of people losing relatives to these deadbeat losers. Or getting seriously hurt. This includes people who are under other substances (high).

I think you drink & drive you should be automatically charged with reckless endangerment because well it's no secret that driving drunk or high is dangerous. Handicaps your reaction time, perception, etc.

Personally having lost family to a repeat drunk driver who was driving without a license because he was constantly driving drunk... I'd have loved to have drag this piece of trash into the woods, hogtied him & left him out there for the animals to have for dinner.

Qdbrown · Accepted Answer

I understand your emotion to this and I lost a family member to a drunken driver. But your conclusions are not good.

First off, you cannot legislatate morality. You can't tell others what they should or should not do. You can't make it nearly a death sentence for bad judgment. Especially first offenses which are often costing more than $10,000 as a lesson, and sometimes to revoked drivers licenses. You have to remember that most people don't have the luxury of not driving. Most people have jobs and need cars to get kids to places and survive. By revoking their licenses, we merely make the drunken driver more criminal just having to exist.

Ironically we live in a society that encourages young people to drink excessively to be exciting. How many colleges and military bases have you not heard of crazy drinking stories?

Now consider we live in a society that encourages long working hours, stressful debt loads and scary family divorce laws? A lot of people drink to get by... Why? Because they just want to get away for awhile. Life is hard, and no one cares about you.

What about support systems? Some states will fine bars that overserve, but how can you tell out of control people are getting with their drinking? Oddly many people tend to put space between them and a loved one who drinks too much. Drunks made bad friends and family drama.

So by what you say, we should scare drunken drivers who don't understand the limitations of good judgment, to throw them in jail and throw away the key so you feel better that people who all through their early adult years excessive amounts of alcohol, and then put them in the meat grinder of adult life and not expect bad drinking behaviors and poor judgment? As we alienate and stimatize drunker drivers?

Drunken drivers are a larger society problem. Not just some poor drunk smuck or chick who thinks she can drive after way too many. There is no nets to catch and fix until they are well out of control. You have a whole industry that makes large profits by what goes out the door, even as they tell you to drink responsibly.

rjroy3 · Accepted Answer

I'm not someone who drinks and drives, but I think the penalty is heavy enough. If you kill someone while under the influence. In Virginia where I live.

Just drunk driving. No accidents. Nobody hurt. Just getting pulled over whike drunk. Up to 1 year jail time, fine between $250-$2500, license suspension for 1 - 3 years (you need a car to get around here), alcohol education classes AND probation.

Mind you driving on a suspended license can get you thrown in jail. So not abiding by the 1 to 3 year suspension is enforced. When the average person will lose a large portion of their income to daily uber drives if they can't get someone to drive them.

All because at a minimum they drank enough to blow a certain alcohol level, even if that individual is good. Two people blowing the same blood alcohol level could be at two different levels of drunk just based on biology, how much they drink regularly, male female, weight and so on. You don't even have to be drunk to get pulled over for drunk driving.

I get it. You're close to the situation. But in my state the penalty is more than enough. And that's with no one getting hurt. It's worse if property damage takes place or someone is injured/killed

Loveydove · Accepted Answer

I mean. I know you are hurt but the “taking them to the woods” part seems extreme. Yes it is painful when we lose a loved one and yes I think there should be consequences. It depends. If they were drinking and caused and accident but no one was hurt…. Time in jail, a class, community service. If they were drinking and caused a death…. Time in jail, a class, community service. I mean the time in jail would just change.
should they deserve to die if they are repentant. No i don't think so. They will already be haunted by it on their consciences forever.

if they are a repeated offender. Suspend license indefinitely. Multiple deaths. Life in jail.

Bee-Hatch · Accepted Answer

It should be seen in the same severity as murder. Everyone knows the dangers. If they choose to then get fucked up and climb behind the wheel then it's done in full knowledge.

I've been pretty fucked up through drink and such in my younger years, not once did I then drive, because I knew it was stupid. I just don't go with the excuse - I was drunk so didn't know what I was doing, it's bullshit.

molonski2 · Answer

You are referring to a particular country USA , I dont know your laws.
Im answering for Australia , which I do know and they are certainly tough enough already , amongst toughest in world.
Here in Thailand , you are fine , no problem , unless you have a fatal accident or something then you are in Deep Deep SHIT !
Having driven in many states in the USA , the problem is , unless you are being a complete idiot , speeding , horrendous driving , ridiculous lane changes etc etc its extremely difficult to get caught. Opposite to Australia..
You touch on substances " Ice " " Meth Amfeds " , breaking bad stuff , this is a massive problem. But seriously , most parts of USA , blind drunk , look okey , smell okey , dont drive fast , sedate car , dam tough to get caught , thats the bit you need to change , that flows to the rest.. plus 0.08 to.1 in most states.. Wayyyyyy too high , far too high a reading.

coachTanthony · Answer

---------If you get caught the first time then it should be a huge fine and maybe some jail time to show this isn't something that is okay. Now if you do it again then I say throw the book at them. Too many people getting away with 6 or 7 times and still walking the streets is reprehensible.

~Coach T Anthony @thedatecoach IG

Varanus · Answer

There are already enormous penalties for drinking and driving. Making them more serious is not going to make a bit of difference in how people behave.

If you want to cut down on drinking and driving, making it easier/cheaper to get to/from bars will make a much bigger difference.

I get the urge to lash out and hurt people who hurt you, but retribution doesn't fix anything. It just causes more pain.

exitseven · Answer

There should be strict punishment for repeat offenders and jail time for people who drive without a license and no insurance. They are the ones who cause all the accidents.
What will happen is the majority of people who get their lives destroyed are guys coming home from work and stopping off for a couple of beers first.

RingOfFire · Answer

In the 70s before there were DWI laws I used to get shitfaced every weekend and go bar hopping driving from bar to bar across the whole city partying and picking up girls until 5am when the bars closed.

Never had any accidents, never hurt anyone. Did this throughout my 20s.

There shouldn't be any DWI laws. I drove better fucked up than a lot of people do when they are sober. Give THEM the jail time!

darkcloud1945 · Answer

I wish that a drunk driver that kills any one be sent to jail and server time equal to the average time the person he kill had left on Earth at the point of death. Death of a child 5years old he gets 70years no early out. A 70 year old auto time left plus 25years multi death all time put together also fed bread and water no bullshit stories. No first time get out jail free card you drink and drive drunk or on drug min of 10 years no questions asked even if he did not kill or maim.

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

If you drink then you don't drive. Simple!
I don't think there should be acceptable levels of alcohol in your system when you get behind the wheel of a car. And if caught doing so? I think it should be Instant prison!

WtfLife1 · Answer

I don't know, "In Saudi Arabia, DUI offenses are punishable by lashes in the public square. In South Africa, DUI offenders are fined $10,000 and/or a ten-year prison sentence.

In El Salvador, a DUI conviction can mean a death sentence!"

Alwayreckles93 · Answer

A family closed friend little girl will be in a wheelchair all because of a drunk driver. Their license should be taken away for life. Drunk drivers ruin peoples lives that goes for all drunk people.

Anonymous · Answer

I think, 12-24 months automatic driving ban ( first time), 10 years enormous car insurance and almost no possibility to do driving job is enough.

This is how they treated in UK.

What, you want that person getting 25 to life in prison, presumably nothing more done, only drink driving.

Floppy2112 · Answer

Uh, DUI is already pretty heavily penalized. I don't know what more should be done. It's already life altering and the next 5 years of your life will suck. Should we give people the death penalty for DUI?

jshm2 · Answer

Nope. They DO get charged more heavily. the problem is that you cannot give "unusual" punishments to individual cases based on your dubious merits.

MeghanL · Answer

Where I live the penalties for OWI are stiff.  Very large fines, jail time, & I believe the third & subsequent offenses are felonies.

Dchrls78104 · Answer

I had a coworker who killed his best friend and himself through drunk driving. Anyone caught driving drunk should be permanently banned from driving and, especially in case of an accident, should have the full weight of the law thrown at him.

Mangospacho · Answer

Absolutely. How many times is someone charged with their 5th DUI? The license should’ve been revoked 3 DUIs ago.

jspl90 · Answer

if you get caught driving under influence simply have the goverment take your car on top of everything else you get pinned with

NoLookingAtSoleil · Answer

Does who can see well and hold their focus and reflexes - not at all. Those who can't - yes. It is 98% individual ability and should be tested as such

Jayded1 · Answer

I said no. It should all be equal and very harsh. Poor judgment and reflexes from anything can lead to killing someone.

Jamie05rhs · Answer

Yes, I do. But too many of our current politicians are alcoholics. So the law will never change until we elect better people.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

ABSOLUTELY!!! They're risking MY life and the lives of EVERYONE ELSE on the road!!!

Do you think that people who drink & drive - as well as under other influences - should be charged more heavily?

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