Driving Drunk Is Dangerous

Driving Drunk Dangerous

Mandatory license revocation and sentencing should be applied to all young adults who are convicted of drunk driving. In addition young adults who are found to drive drunk should be forbidden from riding in a vehicle with other young adult passengers for a period of up to one year.

Every year the number of fatalities and serious accidents that result from drunk drivers rises. There have been numerous laws enacted to combat the problem of drunk driving. None of these laws however have been directed specifically at young adults, and recent studies suggest that this population shows a growing trend toward drunk driving. Thus the aim of this paper is to argue for more severe penalties directed specifically at the young adult population, in the hopes that effective countermeasures may be established with regard to the drunk driving problem.

No one would argue that drunk driving is dangerous. Drivers who drive with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .10 or greater are more than seven times as likely to be involved in an accident, and brain functions such as time estimation, vision, judgment and the ability to brake and control speed are altered (Robin, 1991). With increasing alcohol consumption, the rate of accidents increases to almost 25 times as great (for example at a BAC of .15) (Robin, 1991).

The rate of accidents and fatalities has increased in recent years particularly among young adults aged 17-24, thus the need for harsher and more severe penalties among drivers in this age group, many of whom are too young to be drinking yet indulging regardless.

New laws are working to combat the number of drunk drivers. There should be however mandatory sentencing for young adult drunk drivers in order to reduce the number of people that are lackadaisical about driving drunk. In addition young adults between the ages of 17-24 who are caught driving drunk or riding with drunk drivers should have their license suspended for a minimum period of one year.

In times of old drunk drivers were released with warnings, fines or licensing suspensions, however as the number of drunk drivers have increased so too has the need for harsher sentencing. Many states have already enacted legislation that has banned plea bargaining, charge reductions and other legal sanctions aimed at reducing the punishment for drunk drivers (Robin, 1991:73). Studies suggest that harsher penalties are a proven method for countering the accidents and fatalities associated with drunk driving.

The number of fatalities among young people aged 17-24 is growing, suggesting that in particular sanctions among this age group should be addressed (Robin, 1991). In addition to fatalities, more and more young adults are driving with drunk drivers, even if they are not driving drunk themselves, posing increased risk of personal harm.

Research supported by the National Highway Traffic Administration shows that peer association including peer approval is strongly linked with drinking and driving as well as drunk drivers, and that drinking and driving and riding with drunk drivers is increasingly common among 10th through twelfth grade students (Shacket & Yu, 1999). Studies confirm that older students are more likely than younger students to not only drink and drive but also ride with drunk drivers (Shacket & Yu, 1999). More than 19% of college students in a study sample admitted to have driven in a vehicle by someone who had been driving under the influence (Wechsler, 1994).

Thus in addition to mandatory sentencing and license suspension, young adults convicted of drunk driving should be prevented from driving with peers or in a vehicle with passengers for a period of one year, to further drive home the message that driving under the influence is unacceptable and intolerable.

Opponents of such laws might suggest that penalties and countermeasures should focus more on education and creation of a knowledgeable young adult population (Shacket & Yu, 1999). While education is a vital part of prevention, it is not enough in and of itself to deter young drivers from driving under the influence, or from riding in cars with other young drunk drivers.

Grube and Voas (1996) conducted a survey of 16 to 20-year-olds that indicated that more than 25% of participants claimed that they had either driven drunk or ridden with a drunk driver within a 30 day time frame. This from individuals who claim that they were at least marginally knowledgeable of the consequences of driving under the influence.

There have not been an adequate number of studies conducted that review whether or not the young adults convicted of drunk driving had participated in any preventive measures or educational programs that discussed the hazards of drunk driving. It may be worthwhile in the future to also explore mandatory educational programs in the classroom that reward young adults for driving safely and avoiding hazardous driving conditions such as drunk driving.

Most people in the young adult category are likely to do things because they are widely accepted by their peers, rather than because they are safe or sensible. Thus one may easily conclude that the best course of action with regard to drunk driving countermeasures is one that imposes harsh penalties, so that drunk drivers learn at an early age that violations of the law will not be tolerated. There is adequate evidence to suggest that a serious penalty at an early age will reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses later in life, whereas convicted drunk drivers who face few penalties are more likely to drink and drive again in the future (Shacket & Yu, 1999).

The implications of drunk driving are clear. No one is safe when a drunk driver is behind the wheel, whether that person is a passenger in the car, a driver in another car or a pedestrian on the street. Studies suggest that harsher penalties are more likely to deter drunk drivers than educational or advocacy programs alone. Positive reinforcement programs might be another way to address drunk driving in the future, however until the number of young adults convicted of drunk driving is reduced, it is best to err on the side of harsh penalties to ensure that young drivers realize that their actions will result in severe consequences.

Drunk driving is a serious offense. More and more young adults are convicted of drunk driving offenses. Unless the penalties associated with conviction are meaningful and directed, they are unlikely to deter young adults from repeat drunk driving incidences in the future. Thus it is vital that young adults convicted of drunk driving face mandatory sentencing, license revocation, and are prohibited from carrying passengers in their vehicles for a period of at least one year.