Drink Drivers. Why do they get off so lightly?

[StudentGal]

Hello all,

Not really sure if this is in the right place but I suppose it's a current affair issue so here goes.

I am SICK of drink drivers getting off with stupidly light sentences. To me, if you have been drinking then you get in your car and drive, you should recieve a much harsher penalty than a few points, a fine and a slap on the wrist which is basically what they get. I think it's appauling.

Drink driving should be classed as attempted murder because that's what it is. If you know you're going to have a drink, don't take the car. Simple as that. I object to it so much that i used to confiscate car keys off drunk people in the pub I worked at.

What do you all think? Am I over reacting or do I make sense to anyone else?

[kwicky]

Driving whilst drunk is already a very serious offence and treated more harshly especially if it causes death. In fact there are some drivers on the road who drive carelessly on the road causing death. There is now a new law for causing death by careless driving to bring drunks/sober drivers into line.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4392584 .stm

[Lonnie]

If someone is not in control of their vehicle, and drink drivers fall into that category, then they are in control of a lethal weapon, and it should be treated as such in the courts.

[NJOK]

I do think that drink driving should be sentenced more harshly.

I don't agree that it should be treated more harshly if it results in someone's death. The idea that someone gets off lightly just because there didn't happen to be a pedestrian crossing the road seems to be rewarding the driver's good fortune, rather than looking at the wrongness of their behaviour.

[ludwig]

If you ever want to murder anybody, get completely pi$$ed and then run them over in your car.
If you're lucky you'll get off with a fine and 3 points on your licence.

[Dolly1308]

Confiscate their cars as well .

[scotchollie]

I remember a billboard advertising campaign run by the Manchester Metropolitan Police about 20 years ago.

It ran along the lines of:

"Think... 30% of all fatal road accidents are caused by drunk drivers."

The campaign was cancelled when one wag pointed out that, by implication, 70% of fatal road accidents were caused by sober drivers.

But yes, drink driving - lifetime ban.

[andy-hughes]

I can't see the issue with banning every drink-driver for life, and if they re-offend, twenty years in jail.

Simple - isn't it?

[redhead23]

agree - sentences should be alot tougher , its so selfish

[NeilBaker]

They dont always get off lightly. I got a 3 year ban did a night locked up, 3 days in court 180 hours community service and got my name and address in the local papers and on the web twice