Many factors contribute to why drunk driving continues in America and elsewhere. The crime drunk driving is not taken seriously and its penalties are sometimes just a slap on the wrist. We use rehabilitation on drunk drivers to little or no effect and we retrain drunk drivers also and give them back their privilege to drive. We also see these results of the repeat offender in our daily news and newspapers throughout the United States. A repeat offender kills a family of 5, a repeat offender kills his fiancé found drunk behind the wheel again. And the lists go on. Many states also endorsed what is called a Dram Shop Act and the act simply states that if a bar tender or anyone gives another drink to a person that they know is already drunk that the bar tender and establishment is held accountable. The Dram Shop Act also includes stadiums on semi pro and pro games such as baseball, hockey, basketball and any game that sells alcohol. How good is the Dram Shop Act? Try finding witnesses after a drunk driver took your family member’s life. Try investigating a bar or bar tender to see if he or she actually gave that person another drink knowing that person was already drunk. No, the Dram Shop Act was passed without any funding or support or even the enforcement to back it up. We do sting operations on underage sale of cigarettes to minors; we do sting operations on internet predators. But for the Dram Shop Act there is nothing and probably never will be. We do not tread on the drunk drivers rights that would be unconstitutional. But still in all what about the rights of the many innocent people that this drunk driver and the person that gave this drunk driver excessive amounts of alcohol and now is standing over your dead family member. A murder is a murder my own father would say and no matter what you do you just simply can not bring that person or living thing back. And yet this murder is acceptable in today’s society. The drunk driver is a commodity and the crimes that the drunk driver commits bring in a vast amount of revenue to the states and also to the organizations that are suppose to introduce laws to stop drunk driving. They support companies that hire a work force to make interlock systems and monitoring bracelets and the many scientific remedies to stop the drunk driver they say. How well is this working? If we do not remove a driver’s license permanently or confiscate the tool of the crime such as the vehicle that crime will continue. If we do not hold bars and bar tenders and vendors that sell alcohol at games accountable that crime will continue. I ‘am not opposed to anyone having a few drinks, but I ‘am opposed at this person that is drunk and now is behind a wheel of a vehicle, and the persons that put him there in the first place. The issue is not on why agencies and television and broadcasts advertise heavily on alcohol ads and how much money is spent airing these ads and the loss of sales if these ads discontinue. Prohibition taught us many things and we certainly do not want that back again and organized crime is still alive and well in America as throughout the world today. We already have seen what did and did not happen to the cigarette industry and also the money from the many lawsuits against this industry on which all these states received. What was the money spent on from these suits? What is the vast and excessive amount of taxes put on cigarettes used for? Cures for cancer? People that lost loved ones to lung cancer? We also have seen devastating results from alcohol use on a recent case and this was not even drunk driving and reported throughout the year. The missing Holloway woman and really what will the end and final judgment be for Van Sloot. That will be left up to his peers and also on what he will confess to. How much pressure is put on your Representatives and Senator’s by the alcohol industry? How much pressure is put on sports and news and any broadcasting agency? I have all the answers that I could possibly need or even want from many people. They are from ordinary people that lost loved ones, politicians who state that it is a major concern but do not want to step forward or introduce anything. News agencies that simply shrug off any conception about alcohol and yes newspapers and magazines. Investigative reporting starts with a news agency and that is what investigative reporting is. My hope is to not let another family or loved one lose their life whether if he or she was drunk or just another innocent person die by the hands of another drunk driver such as my only grand-daughter did.

The truth is much different. It costs a German thousands of Euro to get their license, and the penalties for driving under the influence are much steeper.

If the polizei pull you for suspected DUI, they will do a breathalyser and/or draw blood on the spot, and there is no refusal.

Germany’s blood alcohol content levels:

zero for beginners (less than 2 years’ experience and drivers under the age of 21) as well as drivers conducting commercial transportation of passengers

0.03% in conjunction with any other traffic offence or accident

0.05% without evidence of alcoholic impact

0.11% => driver licence withdrawed for about one year

0.16% => regranting of the licence resumes a successful medical-psychological driver assessment

Given the success Germany has had with curtailing DUI, I’m not sure I can view American laws as ‘draconian’

However I do agree that urban sprawl and lack of mass transit in America does greatly contribute to the drinking and driving in the country.

A few other things to consider:

1.Americans view driving as a right, not a privilege. In Australia, and many European countries, getting your drivers license is much harder, and more expensive than in the US. Many places require the driver to be well over our 15-16 minimum for getting behind the wheel, and have much greater restrictions on young drivers. This means they view it as more of a privilege and aren’t willing to risk loosing their license. American laws, while much tougher aren’t always as absolute as other countries.

2. Alcohol consumption is treated differently - you made excellent points about how we don’t like to drink at home, but when we look at other countries attitudes, we see an introduction to responsible drinking at an earlier age, the taboo is removed and thus the binge drinking is not needed.

To use the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights to your own gratification and to state the articles therein to possibly sweep away your crimes is appalling. Stating that they protect you from searches and seizures and imprisonment is truly misleading. You are taking out two words in these articles unless by PROBABLE CAUSE. The dispersing of alcohol from state to state and the transporting of alcohol was prohibited 1919 and then it was amended in 1933. A lot of people complain that their right of freedom of movement and their liberties such as pursuit of happiness and justice for all is being abused by law enforcement and leaders. Our forefathers did not have the means of automobiles back then and they certainly did not have excess to a thousand types of beer and whiskey back then. Their means of transportation was by horse and carriage or to walk. To be drunk on a horse was devastating maybe to the person who drank only while riding. And if by carriage, and the driver was drunk the persons in the carriage might be hurt, but hardly like it is today with automobiles. The carnage it causes is great meeting a person whose happiness was getting drunk and performing his right of free movement is not so great. I wonder what our forefathers would say today about the mixing of alcohol and an automobile that reaches speeds up and over 100 miles an hour. Do you think that article would stay the same? Now let us look at justice for all. It states in one of the Articles the bail amount not to be excessive. Nor excessive fines are imposed or cruel or unusual punishments be inflicted. Back then they had little money and most were farmers. Today we have Hollywood Stars and they also drink and drive and get caught. They may get 3 or 4 days in a county jail or get off completely. And if they happen to take another’s life while drunk they may get only a year in jail or community service. And also their freedom of movement restored to them. The taking of a life is a crime no matter how you cause it. You as the person that took that life denied them of their rights of freedom also. Their pursuit of happiness, freedom of movement, was taken away by you. Where is that justice for all that we speak of? We give murders that shoot another person and end their lives 25 to life and sometimes without parole. We give child molesters 5 to 10 years in jail and then track them and they must report on right where they are at. So that crime will not happen again. They can not live anywhere near a group of children or be near any schools. It is not a right to drive a vehicle and it never was. It is a privilege and that privilege can be taken away. The only reason why it is not is also simple. The drunk driver is just another commodity used by all the states they bring in revenue. And their crimes also bring in that revenue. We were all taught at an early age by many people that drunk driving kills through many resources that our government gives and supports to show that drunk driving kills. But then all the states put into effect saying that it is some type of cruelty for these same drunk drivers that are caught not to be able to get their license back. So your driver’s license is always obtainable after you pay your restitution and it comes by a form. It may be called a Hardship Clause or an O.L.L. license (Occupational Limited License) and all the states have this. So then it is called a double standard when the government states that it is a privilege to drive and supports the many resources stating Drunk Driving Kills and then turning around giving your privilege to drive back. All because it is big money and all the revenue that it can and does bring in. When you say it is your right to do this or do that just remember that right pertains to all Americans and not just you. And when you infringe on another’s rights by ignoring those rights of another you are a danger to society. That privilege to drive should be taken away there is no doubt. The Constitution only allows the right of freedom of movement and it does not have to be by vehicle. No we do not need another prohibition that is your decision to drink alcohol but others rights are being violated as you decide to exercise your privilege to drive drunk behind a vehicle. Many town s have many laws still on their books. Now if you were in this town visiting and spit on a sidewalk and someone saw you do this and turned you in. You might be spending the night in jail because it is a law in their town not to spit on their sidewalks. Are your rights violated? Why not take your rights a step further go into work drunk and tell your boss that he is violating your rights on the pursuit of happiness and that you want to be drunk and your suing him. What would happen? I leave you with this last thought. When a pilot reports to duty drunk and is caught before he takes off with a load of 200 passengers. What Happens? Do they let him? Why? He has a license and he had that right to drink why not let him fly? You are violating his rights flying makes him happy; you are also disrupting his right of freedom of movement.

Educating our children on drunk driving and then turning around in America giving these trained adults a double standard is confusing. We teach them at an early age through many sources that drunk driving kills. Through parents, schools, District Attorneys, State Police, Papers, Media, Our High Way signs we put up on our roads and etc. There is no doubt that the alcohol revenue is great because it is big money. To change a drunken driving law the legislatures all have to look at two items and this is also true. Your family or that Revenue. It is a constant balancing act and what is held hostage? Certainly not your privilege to drive and most certainly not the drunk driver because he is a commodity a useful tool to bring in more revenue. Rehabilitation on drunk drivers has a failure rate of 80 to 90%. The one question is do we want to actually do something about this or not? Or do we leave our families on that Russian Roulette until that drunk driver takes their life. Below is just some of the research I have done and I can tell you it has been hard. The reason why is also attached to and this is just a few letters to our Representatives and Senator’s in Pennsylvania.
Tomorrow’s future in Pennsylvania lies in the hands of your own children. But if that killing goes on in Pennsylvania then who is left?
Drunk Driving is a concern to all Americans and to all Christians and it is the number one killer in the United States above all else. We are all taught at a early age that drunk driving kills through schools, district Attorneys, State Police, Driver’s Education, Parents, Media, papers, highway signs and billboards,. It also is a money making business for all states throughout America. Brewing companies’ lobbyists are throughout the United States and they pull the strings on any local politician to get any sort of restraint put on alcohol and its use. In Pennsylvania we have what you call a Hardship Clause or an O.L.L. License (Occupational Limited License) A form is sent in by the offender and a driver’s license issued on an honor system. No one ever checks on an O.L.L. License carrier we take their word that the vehicle is only going to be used for work purposes only. How wrong we are and it is being abused. Big Money, Big Revenue, and your family is at risk every single day. So you see the drunk driver always gets that license back no matter what. If we do not take that driver’s license away permanently and confiscate those vehicles our children are at risk. They also have alternatives to get to work and back. Walk, ride a bike, pay for a ride, ride a horse, bus, family member and the list goes on. I want you to see what a drunk driver really thinks and this is also true with all of them. About their license and rights and etc. The web site is written by a drunk driver look at the whole web site but make sure that you also read his story under My Story. Also about M.A.D.D. And all the other things about D.U.I. Lawyers who by the way hold a seminar once a year in Las Vegas on how to get you off your convictions and your driver’s license back. I want you to read my most recent letter that I wrote to our Representatives and Senator’s in Pennsylvania to get our laws changed. Course it is about the 10 or 12 th letter I wrote them all. That danger is real and it is alive throughout the United States. Here is the disgusting web site

Http://www.drunkdriverinfo.com/OWILifeAndRiskPage.asp

Pastor Thomas Tribute To Megan Click on Web Site and scroll to the bottom and click on my tribute to Megan
http://www.snmbc.org

td {padding-right: 16px}td {padding-top: 5px}

Link Karma is a section of The Positivity Blog where I list some good reading I´ve stumbled upon during the last few days (or weeks, depending on how much browsing and reading I do).

If you hav…

1) Governments are tough on Drink Driving.
2) Late night public transport varies between capital cities.
3) Teenage binge drinking is on the increase.
4) In the state that I live in, the last two decades have seen an explosion in alcohol outlets.
5) In the state that I live in the vast majority of pubs have poker machines, so alcholism and compulsive gambling can be accomodated.
6) The wine industry is heavily subsidised by the government
7) Culturally, excessive post match consumption of alcohol, is an accepted part of playing team sports, from the amateur to professional levels.
8) The crack down on Drink Driving has lead to an increase of Drugged Driving.
9) An eighteen year old can legally drive a car and drink.
10) Back before liquor laws started to be liberalised in Australia, pub closing times used to be at 6.00 pm - hence “the six o’clock swill”.
11) Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of domestic violence.

On a personal note two of my three parents suffered from their alcohol consumption, as did one of their parents. I also had a job working as a busboy in a nightclub close to two decades ago. Cleaning up vomit from 6 to 20 times a night, and having to have a shower each early morning to wash the stench of vomit, alcohol and cigarette smoke put on the path to sobriety.

I also wonder if there would be the prevelance of illegal drugs if prohibition had never been repealed?