People driving under the influence of alcohol have been a problem for as long as…well, since the car was invented, I’m guessing. But lately the problem seems to be out of control. Or maybe society is just becoming more aware of the problem and less intolerant of people’s excuses. But if society as a whole is against the idea of driving while intoxicated, why is it still happening?
Although it sounds ridiculous, some people don’t take drinking and driving seriously. Obviously, based on the amount of people getting arrested in 2009 for drinking and driving, there are still plenty of people in Leduc who believe they can adequately drive while intoxicated. Not only do people still think it’s not dangerous to drink and drive, the number of people who drink and drive actually appears to be growing. The Leduc RCMP has already laid 103 impaired driving charges in 2009. That’s the same amount of people the Leduc RCMP arrested in 2008 on impaired driving charges. Are more people making stupid decisions or are more people simply getting caught?
I’ve heard people say that they feel okay about driving after a few drinks because they’ve done it before without any problems. The only trouble with that logic is that luck isn’t infinite. People who drink and drive once are risking their lives and the lives of everyone on the road; people who drink and drive multiple times are playing Russian roulette- it’s only a matter of time before their luck changes. Yes, life is a game of chance and we all risk our lives every day simply by getting out of bed. That is something we have to accept about life if we want to enjoy it. However, people shouldn’t mess with the odds by doing something they know is deadly. People who drink and drive are basically suicidal- they are willing death upon themselves every time they rev up their engine after a night at the bar.
Everyone has the right to put themselves at risk if they so chose. After all, skydivers risk their lives every time they jump out of a plane. However, skydivers and other risk-taking thrill-seekers don’t jeopardize the lives of other people when they risk their own lives. Drunk drivers are not just putting their own lives in danger; they risk injuring or killing innocent people, whether it’s their own passengers or a family in another vehicle who has the misfortune of being on the same road as an idiot. Everyone who has ever thought that it’s not a big deal to drive after drinking should think about their own family. How would they feel if someone killed their mother, father, brothers, sisters, wife or kids in a completely avoidable accident?
Our justice system does not properly punish people who are convicted of driving under the influence, nor does the current punishment discourage drunk driving. Harsher punishments, such as mandatory jail time or a permanent loss of driving privileges for anyone convicted of drinking and driving should be in place. More severe consequences may not cut down on the on the number of first-time drunk driving offences but will certainly motivate people not to be repeat offenders.
The current consequences for driving while under the influence of alcohol aren’t enough to encourage people to make smarter decisions. The province of Alberta needs to crack down on drunk drivers by changing the law to reflect the seriousness of the crime. Right now, someone who gets caught driving drunk for the first time is likely to only lose their licence for one year and have to pay a small fine. It’s a punishment that sounds harsher than it really is. Yes, it would suck not being able to drive anywhere for a year and yes, it would be embarrassing to lose your licence. But not being able to hop in your car to go to the Dairy Queen is not on the same level as not being able to leave your jail cell for a year. Losing your licence is not the equivalent of dying in a car crash because of someone else’s stupid decision. If someone is arrested for drinking and driving at an early age they may go on to repeat their mistake later in life if they are not dealt a serious punishment the first time around. Some people will still drink and get behind the wheel of a car but the number of repeat offenders will be reduced if drivers face more serious consequences.
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