Twice as drunk, twice the consequence? I think so! In late August, the State of Texas lawmakers passed a law called the "Extreme DWI Law." This new law provides for an additional penalty for drunk drivers who test with a blood alcohol level of .15 or above, just about double that of the legal limit. Prior to the passing of this law, drunk drivers with a blood alcohol level of .08 or .20 all received the same penalty, a class B misdemeanor. Under the new Extreme DWI Law, drivers with a blood alcohol level above .15 receieve a class A misdemeanor, up to 1 year in jail, and a $4000 fine.
From a citizens perspective this is great news. As with many crimes, the greater the crime, the greater the punishment. A great example of that would be in cases of theft. The penalty for theft varies greatly depending on the value or amount that has been stolen. Someone who steaks a piece of candy does not receieve the same penalty as someone who steals a Mercedes.
Many of us have no doubt driven thinking we are "fine" or after "just a couple beers," when in fact we are probably right at the legal limit. While this is still wrong, it is quite different from someone who binge drinks and then gets behind the wheel. We must all accept responsibility if we drink and drive, and those who blatantly violate the law should receive pushishment equal to their crime.
This blog is in response to a fellow student (Lone Star Showdown). It details a new law that has gone into effect in Texas called the Extreme DWI Law. This article gives some facts about the law as does my fellow student.
ReplyDeleteBasically, the new law states that anyone that takes a breathalyzer and blows a .15 or higher, will be subjected to the terms of the new law. The punishment for an individual convicted could be a year in jail and a $4,000 fine -- double the penalty for a regular DWI.
I agree with my classmate that this is really a no-brainer to support. I don't see any negative consequences for the new law. However, my question is, will this actually impact the number of intoxicated drivers on our roads? Does the new law provide any disincentive to intoxicated drivers over what current laws already provide? Probably not. If someone is okay with driving drunk at a level of .14, another 100th of a percent won't stop them.
I do think this is a good form of punishment if the person is caught driving this intoxicated. But I'm assuming the law was meant to be a deterrent. One problem with that is, how many people actually know about this law? I can tell you that I didn't before reading this blog. How effective can the law be if 50% of the population doesn't know about it?
In summary, I'll just say I agree with my classmate that anyone driving at a level of .15 does deserve an extra penalty so that hopefully it will keep them from repeating in the future. I just wish there was a better method to spread the word and hopefully discourage people from getting behind the wheel if they are EXTREMEly drunk (or of course just a little drunk).