Everyone knows that ingesting and driving is a mix of hazard; driving beneath the affect is a cardinal sin of the street. We have listened to the warnings, we have learn the statistics, we have watched the after-college specials. We all know it is a unhealthy factor to do and but, a few of us do it anyway.
Sadly, those that drink and drive typically go unpunished: they merely do not get pulled over or observed by legislation enforcement. However, those that do get pulled over, who trigger an accident, or who’re concerned in any form of car incident, typically get observed…in hand cuffs.
Within the US, the punishment an individual receives for ingesting and driving is contingent on a number of components. Included in that is the state the place the offense occurred. Whereas all 50 states have two statutory offenses – driving beneath the affect and driving with a blood alcohol degree of at the very least .08 – some states cost folks for driving with a blood alcohol degree of .05. Some states additionally make it unlawful to have open containers in an car, the place some don’t. Most US states keep in mind the extent of intoxication in addition to the variety of offenses. Based mostly on these components, some folks do jail time, some folks lose their license, and some folks get off with a nice.
Other nations have totally different legal guidelines than the US. Some are extra lenient, and some are harsher. In Australia, the blood alcohol content material is .05, and decrease (.02) for these with learner’s permits or new drivers. The punishment for ingesting and driving in Australia contains fines, suspension of license, imprisonment, and medical evaluation earlier than a driver’s license is reinstated.
In sure nations, ingesting and driving is punishable by dying. A primary time offense in El Salvador results in execution by firing squad, whereas a second offense in Bulgaria additionally results in execution.
In France, ingesting and driving is punishable by a 1,000 greenback nice, imprisonment for one 12 months, and lack of license for 3 years. Finland and Sweden, alongside France’s strains, additionally robotically sentence drunk drivers to at least one 12 months jail sentences together with exhausting labor. In Norway, a drunk driver is jailed for 3 weeks with exhausting labor and loses their license for a 12 months. In the event that they do it once more, they lose their license eternally. In South Africa, ingesting and driving outcomes in a ten 12 months jail sentence or a ten,000 nice and, in some circumstances, each.
In Canada, the primary ingesting and driving offense warrants lack of license for one 12 months and a 600 {dollars} nice. The second offense warrants two weeks in jail and lack of license for 2 years. The third offense warrants three months in jail and lack of license for 3 years. After the fourth, they may simply ship you to America.
In England, a drunk driver pays a 250 greenback nice, spends a 12 months in jail, and then loses their license for one 12 months. In Russia, drunk drivers merely lose their license for all times. Sure, even Russia has legal guidelines in opposition to ingesting and driving.
Some nations are extra inventive in their makes an attempt to maintain the inebriated off the street. Turkey, for instance, punishes drunk drivers by taking them 20 miles from their city and making them stroll again with a police escort. In Poland, drunk drivers are topic to jail, nice, and, even worse, obligatory attendance at political lectures. In Malaya, if a person is caught driving drunk he’s jailed. If he’s married, his spouse is jailed too. In Costa Rica, the license plates are eliminated instantly from the vehicles of those that drink and drive.
Drinking and driving can price some huge cash, a number of freedom, and, in worst circumstances, a number of lives. In our world of obtainable transportation ingesting and driving has no place. As an alternative of driving drunk, merely take a bus, take a cab, take a subway, or hire a limo. I might say do not even drink, however let’s goal for one thing extra possible.
