Driving Under the Influence Should Have Tougher Penalties
Evonna Sawall
Professor Kaefer
English 1A
April 8, 2014
Driving Under the Influence Should Have Tougher Penalties
Although the punishments for driving under the influence are not pleasant, they are not effective enough. Laws for driving under the influence need to be tougher in The United States of America in order to decrease the amount of fatal accidents and repeat offenders. The best ways to combat these offenses are to increase fines, make the prison sentences more severe, and enforce alcohol interlocks into all vehicles. There are approximately 16,000 deaths a year in America. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving Organization, par. 3.) Clearly the consequences of driving under the influence need to be altered in order to stop these easily avoidable tragedies.
Driving can be dangerous in the U.S. There are roughly two deaths every thirty-three minutes because of a drunk driving accident. Every 80 seconds, someone is hurt because of this entirely preventable crime (MADD, par. 2). Drunk driving is the United State’s number one highway safety concern (MADD, par. 2). Driving under the influence has an arrest rate of one for every 123 licensed drivers in America. (NHTS) These accidents are much too common. Drivers were intoxicated in 41 percent of all fatal pedestrian crashes according to reports done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The amount of casualties of guiltless people on roads yearly is horrifying. Like I mentioned above, there are 16,000 deaths a year due to drunk driving. It is not fair that innocent people die or get injured because of another individual’s poor choice to drink and drive. These fatal accidents are easily avoidable, yet we cannot seem to put an end to them. There needs to be a change in the severity of consequences drunk drivers receive. This is specifically true for the first offense. Driving while intoxicated is a choice that causes danger to the drunk driver and every other person on the road. The more severe
Professor Kaefer
English 1A
April 8, 2014
Driving Under the Influence Should Have Tougher Penalties
Although the punishments for driving under the influence are not pleasant, they are not effective enough. Laws for driving under the influence need to be tougher in The United States of America in order to decrease the amount of fatal accidents and repeat offenders. The best ways to combat these offenses are to increase fines, make the prison sentences more severe, and enforce alcohol interlocks into all vehicles. There are approximately 16,000 deaths a year in America. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving Organization, par. 3.) Clearly the consequences of driving under the influence need to be altered in order to stop these easily avoidable tragedies.
Driving can be dangerous in the U.S. There are roughly two deaths every thirty-three minutes because of a drunk driving accident. Every 80 seconds, someone is hurt because of this entirely preventable crime (MADD, par. 2). Drunk driving is the United State’s number one highway safety concern (MADD, par. 2). Driving under the influence has an arrest rate of one for every 123 licensed drivers in America. (NHTS) These accidents are much too common. Drivers were intoxicated in 41 percent of all fatal pedestrian crashes according to reports done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The amount of casualties of guiltless people on roads yearly is horrifying. Like I mentioned above, there are 16,000 deaths a year due to drunk driving. It is not fair that innocent people die or get injured because of another individual’s poor choice to drink and drive. These fatal accidents are easily avoidable, yet we cannot seem to put an end to them. There needs to be a change in the severity of consequences drunk drivers receive. This is specifically true for the first offense. Driving while intoxicated is a choice that causes danger to the drunk driver and every other person on the road. The more severe
Cited: "GET INVOLVED." MADD - About Drunk Driving. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2014. "Legislation." DUI Foundation Educate Prevent Legislation Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. "Impaired Driving." NHTSA. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2014.