<p>“According to the Los Angeles Times, a first-time DUI offense in California can cost nearly $16,000 in fines and penalties, up 29% from estimates in 2011.”</p>
<p>Lame argument. Make sure one person in the car hasn’t had a drink or two. You’re the only one in the car? Don’t drink!</p>
<p>There are literally thousands of things you can drink that don’t involve alcohol. There are usually at least a dozen or so on any given menu. No one is forcing anyone to drive impaired.</p>
<p>Why don’t we pass another constitutional amendment and prohibit the sale of alcohol altogether. That would solve the problem. Until we do something like this, no law is going to stop people who have had some alcohol from driving. It is too pervasive in our society.</p>
<p>Romanigypsy, what percentage of the population do you think has never driven a car after drinking some alcohol?</p>
<p>Should we throw millions of people in jail and confiscate thousands of dollars from each one of them? I guess it would solve our deficit problem.</p>
<p>Goldenpooch, you seem to think that driving impaired is normal and everyone does it. You’re wrong, and if you drink and drive you should stop. Yeah, I know. You think you’re perfectly safe driving after you’ve had a few drinks. You’re wrong, so stop it.</p>
<p>Never said what NCDad’s kid did was okay. I said what I thought should have happened to him earlier in the thread. It was not a slap on the wrist. It still doesn’t warrant a prison sentence and a criminal record which will follow him for the rest of his life. I think he could have learned his lesson without the state coming down on him like a ton of bricks</p>
<p>Anyway, if almost 50% of college students are driving and drinking, then why don’t we do the one thing that we all know would work: make the legal age for driving 21 years old. Interestingly, the only real solution to eliminate drinking and driving for this age group is not one that anyone here would seriously consider. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, draconian DUI laws seem to have no impact on serial DUI offenders, who are generally alcoholics and drug addicts. This is where we need to focus our resources, because unless we figure out how to reduce the recidivism rate among this group, we will never solve the problem.</p>
<p>I think tailgating caused more accidents than drunk driving and the police does not do anything about it. I was hit behind twice in the last 3 years. It seems that more than 80 percent of drivers tailgate on the road.</p>
<p>My S was rear-ended twice in one year and then to finish off his car, he rear-ended another car–in the same year! The first rear-ender was when he was on work travel in a rental car. The other two were when he was driving his sturdy, ancient car that has since been replaced by a newer old car. ;)</p>
<p>Fortunately, neither of my kids (to my knowledge) has ever had the joy of riding in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver. I was driven home by a pretty intoxicated boss shortly after I started working at my full-time career. It was scary and I always drove my own car after that experience and refused kind offers of rides from others. Fortunately, he didn’t harm me or anyone else that night (though his judgment and driving were poor).</p>
<p>Back to the incarceration theme - the ACLU has a full page ad in the Washington Post today with photos of several people and the caption, “These people will be in jail for life and did not commit a violent crime” - I’m paraphrasing. Many are victims of the “three strikes” laws or mandatory drug sentencing even if the drugs were not theirs.</p>
<p>I can’t link the ad but here is the background article from their web site:</p>
<p>The only safe driving limit is .00 percent alcohol. </p>
<p>Florida has some crazy 'hang ‘em high’ judges and prosecuters…drive in Florida drunk at your own risk of a long time in prison for injuring someone seriously or killing someone while driving drunk.</p>
<p>To me, the lesson from this thread is to never have a drink and drive. Not even after “just one”. The risk of severe punishment is just too high. </p>
<p>The problem is the gray area. Exactly how many ounces of alcohol was that second or third glass of wine? Exactly how long have I been drinking? Full stomach or empty stomach? etc.</p>
<p>I always limit myself to two drinks when I am driving. After reading this thread and doing some research even that seems just too risky.</p>
<p>Is there research on BAC numbers and fatalities and severe injury? Are most fatalities caused by people with excessive BAC numbers or do fatalities happen with all DUI BAC numbers?</p>
<p>If the police want to save life then they should check for intoxication when the customers leave the bars or the football stadiums instead of random checking.</p>
<p>“Why don’t we pass another constitutional amendment and prohibit the sale of alcohol altogether. That would solve the problem. Until we do something like this, no law is going to stop people who have had some alcohol from driving.”</p>
<p>As I’ve suggested, this is easily solved. A breathlyzer that cannot be disabled built into starter of every single car. No need for increased police presence, random stops; we could cut the number of court cases and jail terms. Will people find a way to cheat? Why of course! But it would effect quite significant cultural change at very little cost.</p>
<p>I thought the idea upthread of installing a breathalyzer in every car was an interesting one.</p>
<p>The night this thread was started I actually had a number of drinks at a grad student party here at my work. What did I do? I stayed in the office getting stuff done for another four hours until I sobered up and was able to drive home safely.</p>
<p>I’ve actually had a few friends that would drink and then bike home under the idea that since they’re not driving a car they’re safe. That’s also a pretty dangerous idea since a poor decision on their part could easily create an unsafe situation for both themselves and any motorists nearby. A few of them got into solo accidents while under the influence, but they weren’t really concerned because they felt they could only hurt themselves.</p>