Drunk driving - do you think this is crazy?

Question

I was listening to a talk show on the radio. Yhey were dicussing a woman who kept driving even though she had EIGHT convictions for DWI. She was driving drunk, got into an accident, and killed some people.

I called into the show and said that I felt the first conviction for DWI should be loss of your car and a year in jail. Second conviction should mean you are in jail for the rest of your life.

The man running the talk show said I was crazy, that that was way too much. What do you think?

i_know_nothing: I don't remember the name of the man running the talk show. It was whoever was on 750 KXL in Anchorage between 5 and 5:30 pm.

Nancyb: You say what kind of sentence would I want if it was me. It never would be - I am not stupid enough to drink if I am going to drive afterwards. You could use that argument for any sentence - Should we lock someone up for murder? How would you feel if you committed the murder?

Answer 1

Well, Amy- I don't see that any of the existing laws did
squat to protect society from this person. As to the people who say your response is too extreme; ask the families
of those she killed. Without strong extenuating circumstances, I think you might be on thr right track.

Answer 2

I have to agree with the man running the show. What if it were you? Is that the kind of sentence you'd want to be handed? Granted, eight times is incredible, and unreasonable, and it clearly shows that the woman slipped through the justice system. But for one offense? Of getting behind the wheel and driving after drinking? Lose your car and spend a year in jail?
I've got a question for you- just what would happen to all those vehicles that would be taken, while the person would be in jail for a year? Who would stand to gain from that? I'm not sure I'd like the answer to that question. What about the person who got stopped after having one drink, got arrested, vehicle taken away, had a family to support? A wife and kids who also depended upon that vehicle, or that person's income? Would it be fair to them? The jails in America don't have enough room to hold all those additional "convicts". Now, for a person to drink, and drive, and cause a terrible accident, injury or death, yes, they need to spend a lifetime in jail, although if they have a conscience at all, they'll spend the rest of their lives tormenting themselves anyway. It's just common sense. The punishment should naturally get larger for a second conviction, third, and so on. Most people figure out it's wrong after their first or second time getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking and getting caught.
There is also the idea of requiring car manufacturers to automatically include devices on all new vehicles that would prevent the entire American (and world) public from starting a vehicle if they can't pass a breathalyser. Of course, this would include not ingesting spoiled orange juice, not using mouth wash, not taking your prescription medicine as directed to, just a few things among many others that people would have to grow accustomed to doing, just in order to drive their vehicles. What would life be like then? Acceptable? When it really comes right down to it, it is each individual's responsibility to know, and acknowledge, that it is simply stupid and dangerous to get behind the wheel of a car after having even ONE drink. Those that don't learn, will get their just punishment in the end anyway.
Perhaps, if you feel strongly enough about this, you should lobby your state representatives, and while you are doing so, request them to build more and bigger jails to accommodate all the extra inmates that a law such as that would provide a need for. But, of course, in the meantime, I'm sure the American justice system can accommodate and allow a few more hundred terrorists, rapists, arsonists, murderers, thieves, and the like to run free while they imprison people who drank and drove once.

Answer 3

What I think is dumb is putting the breath analyzers in cars, so people that are convicted of DUIs have to blow into the to be able to start their car. People that are dumb enough to drink and drive in the first place usually have friends that are dumb enough to blow into them for their friends so they can drive after they have been drinking. They need to make them so someone else cannot do so...I have seen this happen. If someone is convicted the first time they should lose their license and car for TWO years. Even most small towns have bus systems, or cabs. 2nd conviction should be loss of license for life, and 3 months in jail with no time off for good behavior. Cause a wreck the first time you drink and drive, even if no one is hurt besides a tree, automatically 6 months in jail. Someone is injured, 2 years in jail, someone gets killed, 15 years. We need to send the message out that we are tired of these idiots being a menace on the streets. Also, I really have no sympathy for someone that is killed in a drunk driving wreck that is RIDING with the drunk driver. They had a choice as to not get into the car with them, but someone driving down the street with a carfull of kids doesn't have that choice. Sad that they died, but they could have prevented that from happening, and they could have tried to stop them from driving.

Actually, Jim B, they cannot give someone a DUI/DWI if they fell asleep in their car, or passed out UNLESS the keys are in the ignition. They don't have to be turned on, just in there.

Answer 4

Amy, what radio show was this, what station, and what was the person's name that said you were crazy?

My reply to him would be, "well, bozo, isn't it crazy that our current laws can't prevent thousands of people from dying each year at the hands of drunk drivers?" Did you ask him if that was only his opinion, and what was his source, and what amount of time wasn't way too much?

Let's get real. People are getting KILLED, and this pantywaist talk show guy wants to show some leniency?

HE is one of the many reasons why people are STILL getting killed from drunk drivers.

Again, I would like to know what station that is, and which man told you that. I'm very interested. Have a good day!

Answer 5

I don't think you're crazy. I could agree with your first conviction penalty, but jail for the rest of your life for a 2nd DUI? That's harsh. We normally don't hand out life sentences for anything less than murder. There has to be some kind of proportion.

Answer 6

I thnk it should depend on the circumstances. You can get a DWI if you just get in your car after drinking and fall asleep cause you know you drank too much. I don't think that would warrant losing your car and being thrown in jail. Then again, even if it's your first DWI and you kill someone, I think you should be locked up.

Answer 7

I think they should lose their licenses for one year and spend a month in jail on work release, be required to take classes and be screened for alcoholism.

We simply do not have the resources to jail everyone who drives drunk one time. After the second offense, throw the books at them.

Answer 8

that does not sound crazy to me. my friend just got killed in a car accident because the kid who was driving him was drunk. if the consequences were worse for these people maybe there would not be so many accidents due to DUI/DWI. they need to be more tough on people who break the law.

Answer 9

may be not for the rest of your life but they should take your car away and give you at least 3 years in jail dont that sound fair.

Answer 10

I think one DUI and you never drive a car again. Period.

A close friend was killed by a drunk driver several years ago, so that has a lot to do with my opinion.