DUI's? EXTORTION, PERSECUTION, or PROHIBITIONIST ?

then vote the idiots out if you don't like the laws

but somehow I think MADD and RADD will be willing to fight you if you wanted to start a political battle about the drunk driving laws in the US

and if you really wanted to lower accident rates you would make the driving age higher and not worry about drunk driving laws. at least in South Carolina teens accounted for more accidents, whether sober or not, just by virtue of their age and the fact that they don't pay attention to what's happening on the road. and South Carolina has one of the highest auto accident rates in the country. they don't call it "Highways or Dieways" for nothing. and i am not saying i would advocate no teens ever driving, but I do think more education should be required before they are alllowed to drive. and DUI laws also cover marijuana or drug use in many states which also impairs your driving, which is also a choice freely made by the person drinking or drugging.

I know the younger persons that are just learning to "drive" and "drink" both about the same time, have the highest accident rates, and it is quite alarming. They are learning two deadly things and combining them in a young adverturesome body and mind, that seems invincible.
With my daughter (18) now, I started her driving in a one ton Ford pick up on the dirt road of far South West Texas, (90 miles to a town that even had a orange light) Big Bend area. She drove there with me with her most of the time. She would take me to the store, take me everywhere, I kinda enjoyed the break myself, and she was more alert, mom was with her.
When we moved to NW Texas, TOWN. She was once again in a old Ford Victoria, Heavy and slow, she learned to navigate the streets, stops, and lights, still hauling mom around.
I still ride with her a lot, she still has questions about WHO has the right of way in this situation, etc... They just can't learn it all, in a few weeks.
Riding with them helps keep them from forming bad habits.

i had a really good driver's ed class that lasted all semester. it gave my parents a break on insurance for taking a longer driver's ed course instead of one that only lasts a day or two. being graded on your driving skills can be a useful educational tool. my teacher nailed me for not checking my rearview enough cuz i didn't move my head to look, only my eyes so he didn't think i was being alert enough.

My daughter did get in a wreck with a drunk driver about 2 months ago. It totalled her old big heavy car, thank god no one was hurt. He crossed over into her lane to make a left turn into his driveway. Even though the speed limit is 55 mph, she had slowed to about 15 mph when they collided. IT WASN'T because he was drinking, it was because his parents had taught him how to turn into the driveway, and that IS HOW they taught him to do it.... He was a young man, with a physical disability, his arms are real short, he has to lean up against the steering wheel to reach it. He was in an old jeep.
It was just a bad combination of events. Anyway, since my daughter has experienced one wreck, she is now aware that it can happen and does pay more attention. Although her new car is a light weight, sporty thing, I feel that she will be alright.

Did the kid who hit your daughter get arrested?

Yes, he got the full DUI treatment. Which guarantees he will have even more problems, instead of less.

People who drive drunk SHOULD be punished. But with today's lowered BAC laws, social drinkers who are NOT drunk but only had one or two drinks are being criminalized.

That's not right. Check out R.I.D.L., Responsibility In DUI Laws, Inc. for information on an organization that is fighting back against these laws.

ppl who drink and drive deserve what they get. its a really dumbass thing to do.

I disagree. People who get DRUNK and drive deserve what they get. It IS a really dumbass thing to do. But the statistics show that people with BAC levels of .08/.09 are NOT the ones out there killing people.

If you look at stats posted by NHTSA or MADD they also say "drivers with BAC's of .08 and higher caused X number of deaths" or something to that affect. But X will be the same number even if they say drivers with BAC's of .10 and higher.

Fact is, a person can get to .08 with two beers or two glasses of wine. Are you saying that a responsible person who enjoys dinner with friends and has two glasses of wine shouldn't drive? That's silly. Of course they should because they won't be impaired and won't drive dangerously.

People like that aren't the same as people who get wasted and drive like maniacs and they shouldn't be treated in the same way.