N_C

https://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/hotnews/...sp?NewsID=1773

https://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/hotnews/...sp?NewsID=1775

He never should have been allowed back on the roadways. Guess now they'll be tougher on him.

straightedge

What is OWI?

tomcryar

operating while impaired.

fordfasterr

I agree, OWI (DWI) laws are too lenient.

Any lawyer can get you back on the road in just a few days provided that you have the funds to pay them !!!

>> The legal system WORKS FOR DUI << !!!!

tomcryar

I knew a guy here that at last count (2003) had 8 dui's. Because he had a decent lawyer, he was STILL allowed to drive back and forth to work---the thing is, he is a plumbing GC and he was constantly driving (legal, under the terms). While on probation, he had a dui wreck--involving injury. He had to go to a halfway house (still going to work), and while he was living there he had another dui wreck. He went to jail for six months only.

Adiankur

I have no tolerance for that at all. If we took this homicidal behavior seriously, people would go to jail on first offense and lose their license for five years or life. Many people say this is too harsh but one life lost because of drunken driving is too much. My brother in law got nabbed for drunk driving and is still driving because it hasnt gone to court yet. I like the guy otherwise, but its a disgrace. He should lose his license and go to jail.

N_C

I know I've stated it before buit I have absolute ZERO tolerance for OWI, DUI, drunk driving or what ever it is called or refered to.

If I see someone drinking & driving, & I have in broad daylight no less, I call the police.

I have even been witness to the aftermath of a drunk driving related accident where a bunch of teenagers were pileing out of a car after hitting another one saying "hide the beer, hide the beer" as I was walking outside the front door to see if anyone needed help. When I called the police I advised it was a drunk driving related accident. As a result there were 2 fire trucks, 2 ambulances, 3 squad cars, the accident investigation van & 2 tow trucks on the scene. Thankfully no one was taken to the hospital, the damage & injuries were not that serious but EMS could not take the chance. Teh teenagers were arrested, the driver was charged as an adult & lost a full ride scholarship to a university, the others were charged as minors.

sggoodri

While I support strong criminal penalties for DUI as a deterrent against the general population, I interpret most of the available research on the subject as saying that punishment alone is an inadequate deterrent for alcoholics. (Sure, we could keep them in jail for life, but the public isn't willing to pay for that, so let's assume that they will get out of jail eventually.)

I believe the most effective programs to reduce repeat offenses by drunk drivers have involved a combination of intensive alcoholism treatment, family intervention/counseling, breath analysis ignition interlocks, and pragmatic limitations on driving.

ryanparrish

I think we need to hit there pocket books. Charge, and fine the wazoo out of them lose their driving privelages, for 5 years if they cause no accident if they cause accident with injury 10 years accident with fetality 2-3 years in jail driver license suspended indefenintly and scarlet letter them as an undesirable same with the accident with injury they get a scarlett letter to

fenester

Totally. I believe it's Finland (maybe other places too) that use traffic fines that are adjusted for income. For some folks a $200 ticket takes the food off the table and other folks won't miss it.
But the most important part, punishment aside, is insuring that they can't get back in the driver's seat.

N_C

As far as I'm concerned the only legitimate punishment after they serve a prison sentance is never allow them to legally own, license or drive a motor vehicle again. If they kill someone while they are driving impaired they should get life with out the possibility of parole.

N_C

More links regarding this tragedy:

https://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/hotnews/...sp?NewsID=1779

https://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/hotnews/...sp?NewsID=1778

https://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/hotnews/...sp?NewsID=1777

Do you think it is a good idea if the drunk drive should apologize to the family & see the sorrow he caused & how it affects the family left to pick up the pieces? some judges make the drunk driver do that. But I wonder if it actually gives the family closure. Or if the dd does it as a condition of his sentance & has no remores or even cares.

Keith99

I don't know abotu Denmark, but I do know about Norway and I think it points out several issues. This is several years old, but I'm confident it is still true. In Norway DUI is jail time for the first offence. However the jail time is minimal, 1-2 weeks. The driver in question can also schedule their jail time. BUT the really interesting thing is that it is 'common' to take your yearly vacation to go to jail. People try to hide that they got busted, there is major social stigma associated with DUI. There is also pretty good public transportation so you can go out and get drunk and get home without getting in the car.

Remember Finland, Norway and all to other northern countiies have a lot of excessive drinking (at least in the winter). I think the keys are DUI being socially unacceptable and also having some other way to get from bar to home. Oh other things help, real (but not draconian0 consequences for the first offence and really nasty consequences for DUI or even driving when a license has been suspended for DUI make sense.

raleigh_fan

Unfortunately, I doubt that the legality of owning or operating a motor vehicle will make much difference to the offender -- habitual drunk drivers will skirt such limitations....

AndrewP

They should ban parking facilities at places that serve alcohol.

MarkS

Take away their license AND sell car at auction. If they're found driving another car, even if borrowed, take that and sell it at auction too. Eventually the word will get out and no one will loan their vehicle to someone known to drink or without a license. Someone who "needs" their vehicle for their job will either have to find a new career or hire a chaffeur -- that was their choice when they got behind a wheel boozed up.

These are NOT draconian measures. More than 16,000 people die every year (40% of the total traffic deaths) thanks to alcohol.

tomcryar

Or start riding a bike?

ryanparrish

I think that locking them up in jail just clogs the courts, and the prision system. I think they need to go to jail for a short term because this gets them to realize what they did, and possibly get help if they have a drinking problem. Then when they get out of jail they still have to live with what they did. Everyone will be able to clearly see what they are who they are. They may not get a home loan because of what they did they may not get a job because of what they did.

Adiankur

Well, I could live with a minimum loss of license of 5 years to start for first offense but would prefer lifetime ban on driving. drunk driving isnt considered that serious by most of the population sadly, or atleast its not reported as if it is. I think the D.A. in rhode island was getting some positive and negative publicity recently because she wont plea bargain with drunk drivers. She goes after the maximum she can get and some seem to think its not fair of her to act in such a manner. Personally, I hope she kicks a lot of butts there and others take her as a positive example.

Hambone

does anyone actually know the statistics on recidivism for drunk drivers?

Look at how unsuccessful the myopic war on drugs has been. Do you folks really think expanding that kind of aggressive encarceration to alcohol consumption is going to help?

Tom Stormcrowe

I advocate the Malkasian punishment for DUI. They put your wife in jail with you. How would you like to spend the next 1-5 years locked in a cell with your PO'd wife?

EDIT: Spelling

wahoonc

+1

Aaron

DoB

I think this idea misses the actuality of drunk driving. There are generally two kinds of drunk drivers. One is a normal social drinker who is careless and drives over the limit. One arrest and the subsequent fines / points / humiliation / community service will deter this person. Acutally, as awareness and penalties have increased over the last two decades I think that non-alcoholic drunk driving incedents are probably more rare.

Then there are the alcoholics (and I've known a few personally). Do what you want. Take away their liscence. Fine them. Publish their names. It does not matter. So long as they are alcoholics they will drink, and many of them will drive. This explains the people who get 3, 4, 5....12 arrests for DUI. If you want to stop them from driving drunk you can either treat the alcoholism or lock them up. Taking away a laminated card from their wallet does not do much.

N_C

The only way everyone will know what they did is if they are required to register as a convicted drunk driver.

In certain states, Iowa is one of them, convicted sex offenders are required to register & can not live within a certain distance of any school, daycare or public place where childern congegrate. The ACLU is pissed about this but to ****ing bad, this is one law I agree with & support.

Maybe a convicted drunk driver, whether their actions killed someone or not should be required to register & can not live within so much distance of anywhere that sells or serves alcohol.

genec

I agree... this is a terrible problem, I've know a few of these alcoholics too... but at a minimum, no one involved in a DUI should be given back their "laminated card" without some intervention... be it a breathalyzer ignition lockout or some other limitation. As for the repeat offenders, I cannot offer a solution... the problem thus far appears to be far deeper than anything medical science can currently deal with.