According to FARS, in 2003 there were 1,343 fatals in SC. Only 209 drivers registered a provable BAC in excess of .08, the per se limit in SC. FARS has yet to post the 2005 – 06 year. So, Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Columbia, it appears fact twisting to generate revenue for Ignition Interlock manufacturers and the state via monitoring fees seems to be your strong suit. You wouldn\’t be in bed with MADD and NHTSA would you Senator? It sure appears you are because factual analysis of FARS data clearly shows only 15% of all drivers had a BAC in excess of the per se limit of .08. Not greater than 33% of drivers. Visit http://www.ridl.us and click on \”Statistics\” on the left to see how NHTSA pulls statistics out of their butt for people like Senator Lourie to quote in order to pass more bad laws that save no lives. Applause for the senator.
I don\’t care if only 1% of accidents are caused by drunk drivers. Put the interlocks on anybody that has been convicted. If it stops one idiot from getting on the roads impaired I am for it. There is NO reason to ever drive drunk. Either limit how much to consume or find alternate transportation.
If someone is an alcoholic, this device will not stop them. My husband and I attended a birthday party for a friend at local bar and grill. One of the people in attendance asked my husband to come start his car. When my husband asked why, he told us he had one of these and needed him to give a sample because he had too much to drink. My husband refused and instead called and payed for this gentleman a cab. That is all that is going to happen. They will get someone who hasn\’t been drinking to give the sample.
Then your saying the device worked aren\’t you. What a great success story you shared with all of us. I applaud your husband\’s actions. Yes there are loop holes to every law and every method of enforcment. Ask a lawyer who specializes in DUIs. I am for anything that makes the laws tougher. Even if they don\’t fully work. Let\’s try embarassment, taking a car away, loss of job, & jail.
Actually, these devices don\’t just require one breath. At various intervals during the drive, a properly designed and installed device will beep requiring the driver to once again provide a breath sample. If it is not provided, the engine shuts off. Could create a whole new industry though – sober breath in a can…
I think the bottom line is once someone has demonstrated that they are going to drink and drive repeatedly, the answer is not to hinder their ability to drive, but to take their car away.
Forget about suspending licenses…
Forget about special locks…
Forget about all the other gimmicks.
Take their cars away. And if they are driving a friends car… take the fiends car. Nothing positive is going to happen until we get tough on this and other issues.
(I\’m kidding… but only a little.)
Impound the car they currently own and issue them a 1989 fluorescent-orange Ford Escort with reflective-tape \’racing\’ stripes. Put a governor on the engine that limits the speed to 15 MPH; give it a gas tank that only holds 3 or 4 gallons; outfit it with the smallest wheels and tires available; finally, equip it with a tamper-proof PA system that constantly broadcasts \”Warning – Potentially Drunk Driver!\” while the key is in the ignition.
Of course this vehicle will just sit in their driveway while they get rides with friends… but at least then they won\’t be driving.
fyi….95% of the people killed in accidents are the drunk driver. Drinking and \”driving after drinking\” is still legal in the United States. How about all the deaths on the road at the hands of Cell Phone users. Inattentive driving and speed kills more peopl on the roads daily than drinking drivers. Every speeder and inattentive driver should be humiliated and payt he same fines as the drinking driver based on the arguments I read here. And don\’t give me that it was preventable garbage. Talking on your cell phone, eating food, putting on makeup, etc…is all preventable too. Bring it on zealots
The things people do while driving really kill me. \”Hey, I am bored. This whole paying attention to the road thing sucks. I know! Let me finish up this book I\’ve been reading. Wow, yeah, that\’s MUCH better.\”
It really takes a genius to figure out what you SHOULDN\’T do while driving. If it only takes ONE brain cell, why do so many people do stupid things while driving?
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According to FARS, in 2003 there were 1,343 fatals in SC. Only 209 drivers registered a provable BAC in excess of .08, the per se limit in SC. FARS has yet to post the 2005 – 06 year. So, Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Columbia, it appears fact twisting to generate revenue for Ignition Interlock manufacturers and the state via monitoring fees seems to be your strong suit. You wouldn\’t be in bed with MADD and NHTSA would you Senator? It sure appears you are because factual analysis of FARS data clearly shows only 15% of all drivers had a BAC in excess of the per se limit of .08. Not greater than 33% of drivers. Visit http://www.ridl.us and click on \”Statistics\” on the left to see how NHTSA pulls statistics out of their butt for people like Senator Lourie to quote in order to pass more bad laws that save no lives. Applause for the senator.
I don\’t care if only 1% of accidents are caused by drunk drivers. Put the interlocks on anybody that has been convicted. If it stops one idiot from getting on the roads impaired I am for it. There is NO reason to ever drive drunk. Either limit how much to consume or find alternate transportation.
If someone is an alcoholic, this device will not stop them. My husband and I attended a birthday party for a friend at local bar and grill. One of the people in attendance asked my husband to come start his car. When my husband asked why, he told us he had one of these and needed him to give a sample because he had too much to drink. My husband refused and instead called and payed for this gentleman a cab. That is all that is going to happen. They will get someone who hasn\’t been drinking to give the sample.
Then your saying the device worked aren\’t you. What a great success story you shared with all of us. I applaud your husband\’s actions. Yes there are loop holes to every law and every method of enforcment. Ask a lawyer who specializes in DUIs. I am for anything that makes the laws tougher. Even if they don\’t fully work. Let\’s try embarassment, taking a car away, loss of job, & jail.
Actually, these devices don\’t just require one breath. At various intervals during the drive, a properly designed and installed device will beep requiring the driver to once again provide a breath sample. If it is not provided, the engine shuts off. Could create a whole new industry though – sober breath in a can…
I think the bottom line is once someone has demonstrated that they are going to drink and drive repeatedly, the answer is not to hinder their ability to drive, but to take their car away.
Forget about suspending licenses…
Forget about special locks…
Forget about all the other gimmicks.
Take their cars away. And if they are driving a friends car… take the fiends car. Nothing positive is going to happen until we get tough on this and other issues.
Drunk-driving conviction? No problem.
(I\’m kidding… but only a little.)
Impound the car they currently own and issue them a 1989 fluorescent-orange Ford Escort with reflective-tape \’racing\’ stripes. Put a governor on the engine that limits the speed to 15 MPH; give it a gas tank that only holds 3 or 4 gallons; outfit it with the smallest wheels and tires available; finally, equip it with a tamper-proof PA system that constantly broadcasts \”Warning – Potentially Drunk Driver!\” while the key is in the ignition.
Of course this vehicle will just sit in their driveway while they get rides with friends… but at least then they won\’t be driving.
I like your idea. Maybe we should carry that idea over into identifying convicted child molesters and pedofiles!
fyi….95% of the people killed in accidents are the drunk driver. Drinking and \”driving after drinking\” is still legal in the United States. How about all the deaths on the road at the hands of Cell Phone users. Inattentive driving and speed kills more peopl on the roads daily than drinking drivers. Every speeder and inattentive driver should be humiliated and payt he same fines as the drinking driver based on the arguments I read here. And don\’t give me that it was preventable garbage. Talking on your cell phone, eating food, putting on makeup, etc…is all preventable too. Bring it on zealots
The things people do while driving really kill me. \”Hey, I am bored. This whole paying attention to the road thing sucks. I know! Let me finish up this book I\’ve been reading. Wow, yeah, that\’s MUCH better.\”
It really takes a genius to figure out what you SHOULDN\’T do while driving. If it only takes ONE brain cell, why do so many people do stupid things while driving?