Drunk Driving: A License To Kill | Teen Ink

Drunk Driving: A License To Kill MAG

By Anonymous

   People say that drunk driving is a mistake. It's not a mistake. It's a deliberate choice. You choose to get behind a wheel of a car after drinking. It's no wonder people are so carefree about drunk driving if it is so justified as a mistake.

It's not a mistake. Mistakes are forgivable. Drunk driving isn't forgivable. It's stupid. By justifying and condoning it, the problem will only continue to get worse. We lose more and more people every day because they were involved in an automobile accident where a drunk driver was involved. How many lives are we willing to sacrifice before we wake up and realize it? I hope we all wake up soon.

Drunk driving is wrong, and it should be treated that way. It isn't just your life we are dealing with, but everyone who is unfortunate enough to be on the same road. It only takes one drunk driver one time to kill someone!

So what is "drunk driving" anyway? The legal definitions of drunk driving are open to many interpretations, which vary greatly from state to state. In some places, "drunk driving" can include sitting in a parked car or wrecked vehicle with the motor not running, or starting up a car in a driveway. The police can and do arrest people who they believe are drunk before they even get on the road and when they've pulled off to "sleep it off" if they're in the driver's seat.

As for a definition of "drunk" there are many factors to consider. You can be "legally impaired" in the eyes of the law without even taking a drink, if you have taken other substances that affect your ability to drive. You can also be found drunk even when you have all your facilities in perfect working order.

What are the penalties of drunk driving? Penalties vary sharply, but are highest for accidents in which others are injured or killed and for repeat offenders. Sometimes a driver is arrested on manslaughter charges immediately after a fatal crash, if there is a probable cause to believe the driver was drunk.

A general range of penalties for a conviction of drivers arrested in accidents or in incidents in which there were no injuries or major damage, can be a fine ranging from $100 to $5,000, and/or imprisonment for up to two years, and/or loss of driving privileges for a period of time.

I am not saying that all people who drink are alcoholics. What I am trying to point out is that we need stricter laws that are going to incarcerate these people until they go before a judge and are charged. If a person is constantly charged with the same violation, then they should be in a treatment center directly from jail so innocent people don't have to pay by being critically injured or killed.

So think about the consequences before you drink and drive ... and remember, you can drink and you can drive but mix the two and you can die!! c



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This article has 21 comments.


i love this !

You are right! I wish people would listen when people tell them to stay for the night instead of getting on the road

RRicks9 SILVER said...
on May. 5 2017 at 2:54 am
RRicks9 SILVER, Tirana, Other
6 articles 0 photos 11 comments
No Nikhil37. Just No. It is fine as it is. The two licenses would be repetitive.

gogurt BRONZE said...
on Apr. 26 2016 at 7:52 am
gogurt BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 3 comments
Good work. Great format and good grammar. A 10/10!

Nikhil37 said...
on Dec. 2 2013 at 6:55 am
Hi!!! I think you are true can we name this as  "License To Drive Is Not  License to kill" ?????? can we??

on Nov. 14 2013 at 11:03 pm
Deej6595 BRONZE, Billerica, Massachusetts
3 articles 0 photos 369 comments

Favorite Quote:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

I like how you mentioned that drunk driving is not a mistake, but a choice. I also like the idea that people should be treated for their alcohol dependency from jail so, they can get it through their heads not to drive drunk.I have always been against drunk driving but, you made me think of it in a different way. It is unfortunate that people have to die in order for us to change our ways.

maggi said...
on Aug. 29 2013 at 9:56 pm
Very good article :) Drunk driving is stupid and rightfully illlegal so drunk drivers should be punished. Though I have two things to say. Firstly, I'd like to point out though that drunk driving actually can be a mistake. When a person does something the person likely believes the act to be right. Then when the person looks back the person realizes it was really wrong. Then the person looks at that act as a mistake. Often people do not realize the risks involved with driving drunk (insufficient knowledge) or maybe they do but they don't care because they don't believe anything will happen to them.(carelessness)   Here is a definition from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mistake
  mis·take   [mi-steyk]  Show IPA noun, verb, mis·took, mis·tak·en, mis·tak·ing.   noun 1. an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness,insufficient knowledge, etc.   Secondly, Two people drive drunk, a person is lucky and has accidents, the other is unlucky and is in a car crash where people die. The first one gets a small fine and loses his license for 6 months while the second one goes to jail for 5 years, will probably owe money to the state for legal fees and jailtime while also receiving a hefty psychological and societal punishment. Is it justifiable that the second one loses so much for a mistake/ deliberate choice while the first one gets away with 6 months of walking and one month's wages for the same mistake/ deliberate choice?

on Feb. 21 2013 at 2:00 pm
ballermcgee22 BRONZE, Oswego, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"you only live once"

nice job dude!!!!!!! keep up the good work!!

on Dec. 1 2012 at 8:59 pm
FreeLOTR SILVER, Aurora, Indiana
7 articles 16 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The biggest thing that man desires is power." -J.R.R. Tolkien.

I love how you touched on so many things on drunk driving that usually blow right over peoples heads.

carog_91 said...
on Mar. 17 2011 at 9:02 pm

it's a fact...

drunk driving=putting yourself and others at risk,

unless you know plenty of people that can drive drunk PERFECTLY aware of their surroundings and not impaired driving skills.

that's not an opinion...

FACT.


on Feb. 25 2011 at 12:00 pm
i ment....Trueeee datttt!!!, i loved your article, including the end(:

on Feb. 25 2011 at 11:57 am
TRUE DAT!!!, i loved you article, including the end(:

thaTwistette said...
on Sep. 22 2010 at 4:09 pm
i liked it but it shoulda been under OPINIONS and i give it a 2 out of 10

Stephie GOLD said...
on May. 13 2010 at 8:57 pm
Stephie GOLD, Joliet, Illinois
10 articles 0 photos 14 comments
People can be so careless. Drinking and driving is horrible and there should be more strict laws.

on May. 13 2010 at 11:40 am
meganleigh122 GOLD, Greeneville, Tennessee
13 articles 0 photos 81 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain."

you're right. my dad used to drive drunk. then he knew a guy that had killed his daughter driving drunk. now he doesn't. and some people drive drunk because they think it makes them look cool. let's see how cool they look in orange jumpsuits picking up litter on the side of the highway!!

on May. 13 2010 at 7:54 am

You are right! I wish people would listen when people tell them to stay for the night instead of getting on the road. Keep Writting!

 


on Apr. 21 2010 at 8:13 am
invisible13 GOLD, Gobles, Michigan
14 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
there is nothing so common as the wish to be remarkable

haha. nice! i hope you have fun.

on Mar. 30 2010 at 8:35 am
cant wait to drive drunk!!!!!

SLC96 GOLD said...
on Feb. 14 2010 at 10:38 pm
SLC96 GOLD, McGill, Nevada
12 articles 4 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
live life as if you won't see the future , laugh at yourself & your mistakes & love to the fullest.

wow . this is so true. i am glad it made it to the magizing hopefully someomone will wake up and see. keep writing ! ;))

j.j.waters said...
on Jan. 23 2010 at 11:14 pm
i love what u wrote..you are right..drunk driving is not an mistake...if u are dumb enough 2 drive while drunk,then your dumb enough 2 deal with the consequences