Brittany Morgan
13 March 2009
J. Stockdale
WR 122 11:30
Drunk Driving Between World War One, World War Two, and the Vietnam War, five hundred thousand one hundred and sixty-one people were killed; drunk driving has killed an estimated one point seven million people since World War One (Fehrenbach). According to the MADD group, fifty to seventy-five percent of drunk drivers whose licenses are suspended continue to drive. Lives are lost because of people’s selfishness and dangerous activity while under the influence of alcohol, and the punishment does not fit the crime. According to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocacy group, About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every forty minutes. In two-thousand seven alone, an estimated twelve thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight people died in drunk driving related crashes (MADD). Edgar Snyder and Associates reports that alcohol-related car crashes kill someone every thirty-one minutes and injure someone every two minutes. In Oregon alone in two-thousand and seven, four hundred and fifty-five people were killed by drunk drivers. Thirty-three percent of those drivers had a point zero eight blood-alcohol content or higher. Frequent drunk drivers are responsible for almost sixty percent of alcohol-related fatalities (Snyder). Obviously, drunk driving is a huge issue. Right now, there are several punishments for these dangerous people. Ultimately, the purpose of DUI statues is to reduce the number of DUI drunk driving incidents, thereby increasing highway safety and reducing traffic fatalities. Sanctions against convicted DUI drivers attempt to promote this purpose through specific and general deterrence, as well as rehabilitation. Sentences may include incarceration and/or fines, community service, restitution, suspension or revocation of the driver's license and rehabilitation programs” (DUI Defenders).

Anyone convicted of a DUI can expect to pay some kind of fine of anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars. Yet there are exceptions; if a defendant cannot afford to pay the fine, then the court usually waves it. And they cannot be imprisoned just because they cannot pay because the Supreme Court has ruled its unconstitutional. Another punishment is incarceration in County or State jail system. “A convicted DUI defendant may spend as many as one day to several months in prison. The sentence may be enhanced if the defendant refused to take the test, engaged in altercation with arresting officer or had a prior DUI conviction” (DUI Defenders). There is a ten year minimum sentence for drivers who have been convicted of their fourth DUI, but in my opinion, that is four times that someone’s life was in danger. Probation is also an option when punishing DUI offenders. This is a more compassionate approach to punishment. Some are incarcerated first and then given the option of early release with probation and the threat to return to jail if they break the rules. The majority of offenders on probation have to participate in AA meetings or DUI classes as well as do charity work and community service projects. Along with probation, house arrest is very similar. This is a good idea because you do not have the cost of jail time for tax payers, but you get the same idea where they cannot leave their home unless it is for the rehabilitation or community service things. They also have to monitor their alcohol intake by frequently breathing into a breathalyzer so the probation officer knows how much they are drinking. Some others are suspension of drivers license, vehicle impoundment, restitution, and required installation of ignition interlocks. Ignition Interlock Devices is something that I highly support. “An ignition interlock is a sophisticated system that tests for alcohol on a driver's breath. It is a device that requires a vehicle operator to blow into a small handheld alcohol sensor unit that is attached to a vehicle's dashboard. The car cannot be started if a BAC is above a preset level (usually .02 to .04 BAC)” (Legal Brand Marketing)

While some may say that it is an extra hassle and something that is unnecessary, I feel that it is something that will greatly reduce the amount of drunk driving. If you are sober and able to drive, it is not a big deal to save lives. To me, peoples lives and safety are worth any cost, even a couple extra seconds to make sure that you are able to drive. This is a way to prevent drunk driving rather than punishing the offenders when it is too late and they have already maimed or killed someone. A first time drunk driving offender on average has driven drunk eighty-seven times prior to being arrested (MADD). That is why I find the Ignition Interlock Devices so effective. An organization committed to reducing drunk driving, the Century Council, promotes a three step way to reducing the problem: Swift identification, certain punishment, and effective treatment. Swift identification is important because “once identified as hardcore drunk drivers, it is then important to prevent them from driving until fundamental behavior change has occurred” (Hanson). Certain punishment is vital because “The perception that punishment is certain has much greater deterrent effect than severity of punishment, a fact repeatedly demonstrated by research” (Hanson). And last, but not least, is effective treatment. The people that do drive drunk need help to recover. Many of them are hard-core drunk drivers and it is in their best interest to attend some kind of rehabilitation. This will also prevent them from putting themselves and others in danger in the future. To me, these three ways are very effective. I think that it would work beautifully if we incorporated all of these together to help those that are DUI offenders. Last, but not least, education on the subject of drunk driving is vital, especially among teenagers. Studies show that in two thousand and seven, drivers between the ages of sixteen and twenty were involved in one thousand seven hundred and nineteen drunk driving accidents. Underage drinkers accounted for fourteen percent of drunk driving deaths (Snyder). Obviously, drinking and driving in young adults and teenagers is a huge issue and education about it can prevent it, like sex education. Presenting statistics and facts as well as discussing the punishment that they will face if they are convicted of a DUI can deter them from doing so. Just imagine your mother or sister, husband or child being killed or seriously injured because someone was not careful and drove intoxicated. It is simple, really, to merely set your keys aside or ask a friend to be a designated driver, but so many do not and instead they put themselves and those that are innocent around them in danger. More has to be done to prevent this from happening, and when it does happen, the punishment must fit the crime and ensure it does not happen again. This quote from Dean Martin is well said, “If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt” (Quote Garden).