This speaks volumes about the need for a comprehensive approach to dealing with drunk driving:
A 63-year-old Cudahy man is facing is eighth drunken driving offense after police found him asleep in his parked vehicle early Friday, according to a criminal complaint released Sunday.
Richard Dix was asleep in the driver’s seat of his Jeep while the vehicle was still running but parked in front of the front door to Wayne’s Tavern, 4854 S. Packard Ave. When police arrived, they tried to conduct a sobriety test, but Dix could not maintain his balance and had heavily slurred speech.
After being transported to St. Luke’s South Shore Hospital with a blood-alcohol level of 0.21, Dix admitted to drinking over a 14-hour period and driving at “some point,” the complaint says.
Records from the state Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles indicate Dix has had seven arrests alleging driving while intoxicated since 1989.
While I think the steps taken by legislators in Madison during the last legislative session were a good start, I still think there’s more to be done to hold repeat drunk drivers more accountable. What’s more, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind legislators and other stakeholders need to take a good long look at what’s being done to not only change our state’s culture when it comes to alcohol, but putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to providing the necessary resources to provide individuals with alcohol abuse issues the treatment they need to address their issues.
What is a ‘comprehensive approach to dealing with drunk driving’?
Would you advocate notifying his/her place of employment of multiple drunk driving incidents?
Would you mandate placing a ‘mark’ on the offender’s driver’s license so that all who saw it knew the person had been arrested multiple times for OWI?
Would you mandate alcohol counseling?
If the offender does not show up for alcohol counseling would you advocate jail time until alcohol counseling is completed?
Would you have the state conduct an intervention with the alcoholic’s family?
Would you remove children from the home of a person who was arrested for OWI for the fifth time in three years?
What do you mean by ‘comprehensive’?
I guess by comprehensive I mean toughening penalties for first-time drunk drivers while also mandating long-term alcohol treatment for anyone convicted of a second OWI offense.
Another strong-sounding, possibly clueless and totally un-funded mandate from tough-talking politicians? Rehab costs money 21 to 38 dya basic programs cost money. Facilities need staff, beds, food. There are not that MANY facilities,staffers are often not paid much, the work is emotionally exhausting and people burn out. Many addicts have mental health issues, they are low on support, health resources, sometimes education and sometimes have been in un-pleasant environments since birth. 21 days in a shared room with a couple of workbooks does not counteract all that.
To really mean what people say about wanting to stem the tide of damage from alcohol and drugs would call for a serious overhaul of mental health services, serious commitment to the poor, serious re-education on the nature of addiction(now here’s a good “re-education” project for RoJo)
It’s a difficult one to learn – how it is that the hand that looks so voluntary while raising the bottle to the mouth, what’s really going on in the Addicted Brain.
Hard to understand instinctively but it can be easily taught to public policymakers who are willing to learn. Sadly, they are not.
Hats off to Kreitlow Moron-of-the-Century for his “free alcohol samples in grocery stores” initiative. Did the guy DO anything else? Quite the legacy – adding yet another trigger to the lives of struggling addicts. Nice work Pat. LOL and his wife is a doctor.
Booze is a drug, you can’t argue that unless you wanna argue for Intelligent Design and no Global Warming too. Same amount of ludicrousness. The latest studies prove it is more universally destructive thab heroin, yet imagine how shocked we’d all be watching numerous Holiday TV commercials for glamorized groups using heroin or meth at sparkling Holiday events. Imagine also deriding Heroin users who develop “issues” because they “can’t handle their junk”, “aren’t real men” or are just “morally weak” while the rest of us sit around shootin up with festive holiday glee.
Booze is a drug that everyone uses and yet sits around being amazed at the 10 percent of their friends and neighbor’s who addict rapidly, and then they talk in lofty speeches about “accountability”.
Hey Hillary, in this case it takes a lot more than a Village.
Nothing is gonna happen except more and more rhetoric. Money is being made, and the society at large prefers to stay in the dark about the real mechanisms of this problem.
You don’t even know who’s about to start slowly dying from “friendly fire” during your Drinking Liberally. Shit happens. 10 percent of people addict rapidly, how many guys show up at that thing? 10? more? Take a look around, this is not a criminal issue, if it is we’re ALL guilty. Or, another option is to lock up that damn Alcohol Lobby….hold those asshats accountable for 5 stinkin’ minutes.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/nov/01/alcohol-more-harmful-than-heroin-crack
I agree with much of what you say Annie. Unfortunately, I’ve had first-hand experience with alcoholism and unless you’ve actually seen it, words just don’t adequately describe the power of that addiction.
That said, you’re making an assumption that is completely and totally wrong. Drunk driving != Alcoholism. First of all, not all drunk drivers – even repeat ones – are alcoholics. Certainly many are. But many are just idiots who like to go out and get blasted.
On the flip side, not all alcoholics are drunk drivers. Alcoholism is a disease – a mental defect (in a clinical sense) where the individuals need help and deserve some level of understanding and empathy. There is however, no clinical or diminished capacity excuse for driving while drunk.
This goes for all drunk drivers. I know a lot of people make the excuse that they “used bad judgment” deciding to drive after they had “one too many.” Utter and complete rubbish. Driving drunk is a decision that is ultimately made of clear mind, while completely sober before taking the first drink. When you drive to a bar (or wherever alcohol is served) you either make plans to get home by other means, or you don’t. You take your first drink without a plan for how to get home, you’ve made a conscious choice.
Long story short – you’ll not find a person more understanding of alcoholism. But you’ll also not find too many people who take a harder line on drunk driving. In particular, repeat offenders. 2nd offense, six months in jail, with work release. 3rd offense – 1 year, hard time in real prison. After first offense – counseling and special new license plates that mean law enforcement can pull you over any time for a BAC check. I’m flexible on the time period – maybe 6 months, maybe a couple of years. I think taking away the driver’s license is folly. It is rarely actually followed anyway so it clearly serves absolutely no deterrent purpose.
Should be – “21 to 28 day basic programs” I’m still a crappy typist. or I’m drunk when I hit the blogs
You decide
Prohibition is the way to go.
Zach…I had to stop commenting on these drunk driving posts because they make me so mad. How in the world can someone be so selfish as to think their drinking and then driving is more important than someone’s beloved family member’s life? Personally…it’s one of those topics that drives me insane.