This Tragedy Didn't Have to Happen

[vta]

Originally Posted by Denim Chicken

It’s arguable that speeding contributes as much to highway fatalities as DWI—eating and texting while driving as well. In fact, studies show that texting and driving make one about 6 times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated. Should these activities be as heavily penalized as DWI?

Texting and driving? Yep.
Endangering everyone else around you for the all important self indulging nonsense of yapping over a device should result in a loss of license. Worse thing is, they're entirely sober and should be of a better state of conscience than someone who miscalculated his intake.

There's no excuse. I have no sympathy for a drunk driver, but I understand a person needing to get home well beyond someone who doesn't really need to be goofing off with a toy while driving.

Both though are behavioral and laws don't change behaviors. Obviously. We don't need anymore evidence to see that. Laws already exist and despite this people still drive drunk they still try and hold conversations on their toys when not appropriate. Radical consequences might, but it won't be 100%. Costing someone their license and really, if a 2nd offense occurs an unlicensed drunk should probably drip dry in a cell long enough for him to realize it's not really worth it.

I think loss of license and the damage that does to your chances of holding a job would suffice for the sober clown with the dumbphone.

[xwalker]

Something about the DUI/DWI laws seem wacky to me.

Topic 1 - Blood Alcohol Limit
If society really wanted to eliminate drunk driving, then they would outlaw all drinking and driving, not just those over a certain BA limit.

Adults drink a "couple of glasses of wine" and drive; meanwhile, they tell their kids "don't drive drunk". It's a mixed message that is difficult for young people to fully understand.

The law is asking people that have been drinking to determine how much they've had. It would be a lot easier to say "did you have anything to drink?".

Topic 2 - Reckless Driving
It is unfortunate that everyone is lumped together based on Blood Alcohol limits only.

Some people are really bad drivers without drinking. Why can't we ban those people?

I know people that have been involved in multiple auto accidents in their life. These were not Alcohol related accidents.

I know other people that have been drinking and driving for multiple decades, yet they've never been involved in an accident.

Topic 3 - Profiling
The 0.08 Blood Alcohol level is just a method of profiling a driver. It's not proof that they can't drive safely.

I have a friend that is an executive in a insurance company. They profile all drivers to determine risks. They also do other studies to determine risk.

You should see the statistics of some groups of people. An Asian Female driving a Mini-Van has an incredibly high statistical probability of being involved in a major auto accident.

Most 25 year old males with a blood-alcohol level of 0.1 (legal=0.08), have better cognitive abilities and response times than almost all people over the age of 80.

Topic 4 - Drivers License
The DL test is too easy. You can continue to retake the test until you pass it.

Driving without a valid license should be a harsher penalty than a DUI.

If someone wants to drink and drive, then maybe the law should let them prove their ability ahead of time. How about having a standardized obstacle test with an option to take it while having an elevated Blood-Alcohol level. If you can pass the test at 0.12, then that would be your legal limit.

[Proudmom72]

Demin Chicken: It sounds like excuses, when people point to other stats, like when you tell someone that smokes how bad it is for them and they say, "you can die from this or that", not wanting to deal with the real issue of smoking kills.
To answer your question, if you take a life doing something stupid while driving , there should be consequences but drinking an driving is it's own demon.

[D29Murray]

Um... I think that revocation was a looooong time ago, otherwise don't you think he'd have been charged (and it'd be circulating in the news) for Driving While License Cancelled Suspended or Revoked?

So... yeah....

[D29Murray]

Not to mention several "facts" in your OP are incorrect... so I trust this "opinion" about as far as I can throw a caber.

[justbob]

Keep your comments on the thread ----Not racial ---not directed towards another poster. Discuss the thread.

[tomson75]

Wow...