We all know that drinking and driving is a combination of danger; Driving under the influence of alcohol is a cardinal sin on the road. We have heard the warnings, we have read the statistics, we have seen the extracurricular specials. We know it’s a bad thing, and yet some of us do it anyway.
Unfortunately, those who drink and drive often go unpunished: they are simply not stopped or noticed by the police. But, those who are stopped, who cause an accident or who are involved in any type of automobile incident, are often noticed … with handcuffs.
In the United States, the punishment a person receives for drinking and driving depends on several factors. Included in this is the state where the crime occurred. While all 50 states have two legal offenses (driving while intoxicated and driving with a blood alcohol level of at least .08), some states charge people for driving with a blood alcohol level of .05 . Some states also prohibit having open containers in a car, while others do not. Most states in the US take into account the level of intoxication and the number of crimes. Based on these factors, some people go to jail, some people lose their license, and some people get fined.
Other countries have different laws than the US Some are more lenient and some are tougher. In Australia, the blood alcohol content is .05 and lower (.02) for those with learners permits or new drivers. Punishment for drinking and driving in Australia includes fines, license suspension, imprisonment and medical evaluation before the driver’s license is reinstated.
In some countries, drinking and driving is punishable by death. A first offense in El Salvador leads to execution by firing squad, while a second offense in Bulgaria also leads to execution.
In France, drinking and driving is punishable by a fine of $ 1,000, one year in prison and loss of license for three years. Finland and Sweden, like France, also automatically sentence drunk drivers to one year in prison, including forced labor. In Norway, a drunk driver is jailed for three weeks with forced labor and loses his license for a year. If they do it again, they lose their license forever. In South Africa, drinking and driving result in a 10-year prison sentence or a 10,000 fine, and in some cases both.
In Canada, the first offense for drinking and driving justifies the loss of the license for one year and a fine of $ 600. The second offense warrants two weeks in jail and loss of license for two years. The third offense justifies three months in jail and the loss of the license for three years. After the fourth, you may be sent to the United States.
In England, a drunk driver pays a fine of $ 250, spends a year in jail, and then loses his license for a year. In Russia, drunk drivers simply lose their license for life. Yes, even Russia has laws against driving under the influence.
Some countries are more creative in their attempts to keep drunkards off the road. Turkey, for example, punishes drunk drivers by taking them 20 miles from their city and forcing them to walk back with a police escort. In Poland, drunk drivers are subject to prison, fines and, worse, compulsory attendance at political conferences. In Malaya, if a man is caught driving drunk, he is imprisoned. If you are married, your wife will also be imprisoned. In Costa Rica, license plates are immediately removed from the cars of those who drink and drive.
Drinking and driving can cost a lot of money, a lot of freedom, and in the worst case, many lives. In our world of available transportation, driving and drinking have no place. Instead of drunk driving, just take a bus, taxi, subway, or rent a limousine. I’d say don’t even drink, but let’s find something more doable.
