Quote:
Originally posted by john70t
How about the drunk driver who wipes out the family and gets probation, making it his fourth conviction.
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We focus too much on the "drunk" part of the equation. How about any driver, for whatever reason, that does these things? It's no better or worse because they are drunk or sober. Whatever it is that contributes to an accident, be it innattention, sheer stupidity, or whatever does not change the responsibility. Nor should it change the nature and the level of the punishment.
My older brother was rear ended while sitting at a stop light, in broad daylight, on a sunny summer afternoon. Speed limit was 35; he got hit at 35. The guy never even touched his brakes, according to several witnesses following him. Turns out this guy had done something similar twice over the last few years. He was stone cold sober. He was approaching 80 years old. His family had fought succesfully to allow him to retain his license (as far as we know, he still has it even after this, his third collision). AARP is in his corner. No one wants to "restrict his freedom".