I've known many lives that have been changed forever in a bad way as a result of drinking and driving. I have little tolerance for this type of irresponsible behavior. My question.... Are the penalties for DUI still not severe enough? I've heard of cases where a driver has racked up 16 or 18 DUIS before finally maiming or killing someone. Should the laws be stricter or do you feel they are about right?

 

In Europe, where the consumption of alcohol is very heavy, the DUI rate is extremely low. People there just don't drink and drive for the most part. People just seem to realize it's something you just don't do.

 

One Eastern European country, Bulgaria, has a pretty low rate of drinking and driving I suspect because the penalty for a second offense is ... execution.

 

In El Salvador, your first offense is your last... you get the firing squad!

 

Now, I'm not necessarily advocating for us to up our penalties to rival Bulgaria or El Salvador( though it wouldn't break my heart either), but I wouldn't mind some serious incarceration time. I'm all for freedom of choice as long as those choices don't harm others, which driving while intoxicated clearly does. Same for those who are high on pills and other substances.

 

Any thoughts?

I don't think they are strict enough. After spending twenty plus years responding to DUI accidents and caring for the injured and maimed, I too have no tolerance for anyone that drinks and drives.

 

In Kentucky, on your first DUI, your license is suspended for 120 days but you can get a hardship license after 30 if you have a device installed in your vehicle to check to see if you are drunk before you drive. IMHO, on a first offense you should loose your license for a year, period. I would advocate for 14 days in jail for the first offense. Give them a bit of "reflection" time.

I don't think they are strict enough. After spending twenty plus years responding to DUI accidents and caring for the injured and maimed, I too have no tolerance for anyone that drinks and drives.

 

In Kentucky, on your first DUI, your license is suspended for 120 days but you can get a hardship license after 30 if you have a device installed in your vehicle to check to see if you are drunk before you drive. IMHO, on a first offense you should loose your license for a year, period. I would advocate for 14 days in jail for the first offense. Give them a bit of "reflection" time.

 

First offense is usually 90 days suspension, 30 days over your head for 2 years with a $1000 dollar fine and a bunch of $20 dollar alcohol classes.

Second offense is usually 7 days in jail 1 year suspension, year of alcohol classes, 2 years probation and a bigger fine.

I agree that stricter laws will be a deterrent. If you know that there is zero tolerance and no leniency, you just won't do it. You will call a cab or give the keys to a friend.

 

The old phrase, "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" would be very important, as we would all know that our friend would be in huge trouble if caught driving while intoxicated. (Not to mention the dangerous risk to others and himself.)

It really depends if your DUI is aggravated and how many charges if you wrecked i4 whatever happened. One of my friends killed his best friend in a DUI wreck. He did about 5 years with another 5 on probation. He did finally get his license back. His case was pretty much a young and dumb case. He has to live with killing his friend forever nothing is worse than that.

It really depends if your DUI is aggravated and how many charges if you wrecked i4 whatever happened. One of my friends killed his best friend in a DUI wreck. He did about 5 years with another 5 on probation. He did finally get his license back. His case was pretty much a young and dumb case. He has to live with killing his friend forever nothing is worse than that.

But stiffer penalties would eliminate the phrases like "aggravated DUI" and "how many charges". There would be no wiggle room and the U.S. would be like these other countries where "consumption is heavy but the DUI rates are very low"..as they should be.

But stiffer penalties would eliminate the phrases like "aggravated DUI" and "how many charges". There would be no wiggle room and the U.S. would be like these other countries where "consumption is heavy but the DUI rates are very low"..as they should be.

 

Yea but if guy is mowing his grass and a cop charges him with a DUI. I dont think he should be punished that bad.

First offense is usually 90 days suspension, 30 days over your head for 2 years with a $1000 dollar fine and a bunch of $20 dollar alcohol classes.

 

Depends on the County Attorney and the judge. Those are the maximums, offenders rarely get that.

 

It's only 26 classes for a first offense. Too light IMHO.

 

Yea but if guy is mowing his grass and a cop charges him with a DUI. I dont think he should be punished that bad.

 

I'd bet that doesn't happen often. If it does I'd hope the county attorney would dismiss it.

I've known many lives that have been changed forever in a bad way as a result of drinking and driving. I have little tolerance for this type of irresponsible behavior. My question.... Are the penalties for DUI still not severe enough? I've heard of cases where a driver has racked up 16 or 18 DUIS before finally maiming or killing someone. Should the laws be stricter or do you feel they are about right?

 

In Europe, where the consumption of alcohol is very heavy, the DUI rate is extremely low. People there just don't drink and drive for the most part. People just seem to realize it's something you just don't do.

 

One Eastern European country, Bulgaria, has a pretty low rate of drinking and driving I suspect because the penalty for a second offense is ... execution.

 

In El Salvador, your first offense is your last... you get the firing squad!

 

Now, I'm not necessarily advocating for us to up our penalties to rival Bulgaria or El Salvador( though it wouldn't break my heart either), but I wouldn't mind some serious incarceration time. I'm all for freedom of choice as long as those choices don't harm others, which driving while intoxicated clearly does. Same for those who are high on pills and other substances.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I would wager that more public transit has more to do with that in Europe. Dry county laws here don't help either. Most statistics bear out that when a county goes dry the instances of drunk driving goes up.

I would wager that more public transit has more to do with that in Europe. Dry county laws here don't help either. Most statistics bear out that when a county goes dry the instances of drunk driving goes up.

Agree on the public transportion.

Agree on the public transportion.

 

Yup. It's easy to avoid driving drunk if there's always a train or a bus waiting to take your sloppy behind home. Our country, however, was built with the blessings of the US paving, oil and auto manufacturers lobbies, and that's why you can't get anywhere without a car unless you live in a major urban center.

I've known many lives that have been changed forever in a bad way as a result of drinking and driving. I have little tolerance for this type of irresponsible behavior. My question.... Are the penalties for DUI still not severe enough? I've heard of cases where a driver has racked up 16 or 18 DUIS before finally maiming or killing someone. Should the laws be stricter or do you feel they are about right?

 

In Europe, where the consumption of alcohol is very heavy, the DUI rate is extremely low. People there just don't drink and drive for the most part. People just seem to realize it's something you just don't do.

 

One Eastern European country, Bulgaria, has a pretty low rate of drinking and driving I suspect because the penalty for a second offense is ... execution.

 

In El Salvador, your first offense is your last... you get the firing squad!

 

Now, I'm not necessarily advocating for us to up our penalties to rival Bulgaria or El Salvador( though it wouldn't break my heart either), but I wouldn't mind some serious incarceration time. I'm all for freedom of choice as long as those choices don't harm others, which driving while intoxicated clearly does. Same for those who are high on pills and other substances.

 

Any thoughts?

 

DUI rates are so much lower in other countries Europe in particular because of their public transportation.

 

I think DUI law's should be a lot more strict for repeat offenders.

I don't think they are strict enough. After spending twenty plus years responding to DUI accidents and caring for the injured and maimed, I too have no tolerance for anyone that drinks and drives.

 

In Kentucky, on your first DUI, your license is suspended for 120 days but you can get a hardship license after 30 if you have a device installed in your vehicle to check to see if you are drunk before you drive. IMHO, on a first offense you should loose your license for a year, period. I would advocate for 14 days in jail for the first offense. Give them a bit of "reflection" time.

 

I'm going to go ahead and say it. This is ridiculous for a first time offense.

 

So your basically saying you want to ruin someones entire life over their first offense and that's just ridiculous.