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From: warren@ihnss.UUCP (Warren Montgomery)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.legal
Subject: Novel? idea on drinking and driving?
Message-ID: <2175@ihnss.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Aug-84 09:42:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnss.2175
Posted: Mon Aug  6 09:42:44 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Aug-84 07:47:22 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 44

After watching all of the recent fury about drinking and driving
laws, it occurs to me that we are in general attacking the wrong
half of this problem.  The enforcement and penalties are generally
aimed at the driving public (roadblocks, liscence suspension, etc.)
A major trouble is that it's just too easy to drive without a valid
lisence, and driving is just too necessary for existance to suspend
it lightly anyway.  On the other hand we could at least make it
difficult for someone to drink if they deemed to be not responsible
enough to handle it, and drinking is not essential to anyone's
existance or livelyhood (no flames please).

What I would propose is that people be required to have a "drinking
license" to buy alcohol.  Since most, if not all states already
regulate the sale of alcohol anyway, the points of purchase are
limited.  Since everyone would be required to have the license, many
problems with the current practice of carding people suspected of
being underage would be eliminated.  People caught driving under the
influence, or other alcohol related ofenses, for that mater, would
lose their licenses for some period of time.  Since the penalty
would not impose a hardship on anyone, it would probably be much
easier to impose on first offenders than driver's license suspencion
or jail terms.  Sure, there would be enforcement problems, but at
least it would take two people conspiring to put a drunk back on the
road again, not just a drunk with a set of keys.

To make enforcement easier, I would suggest that the licenses be
standardized nationally, while keeping local policy options on
penalties for mis-use, drinking age, etc.  That way, the cards would
be the same nationally.

This could have other benefits, including the ability to reduce
other alcohol related crimes by getting it away from people who
don't use it responsibly.  It could also help find people with
drinking prolbems sooner, and help alcoholics avoid going back to
drinking.

Any comments?

-- 

	Warren Montgomery
	ihnss!warren
	IH (8-367) x2494