Unfortunately, very often, the damages and injuries because of a car accident are caused by a drunk driver. Every fourth accident is caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol. Because the most important functions of the body of the driver do not operate well, the response is reduced, there is overconfidence, and disregard of traffic rules. The federal law in fifty states forbids to drive with alcohol concentration in a blood at the level higher than 0.08 percent (DWI/DUI Laws of U.S. States). However, each state has different additional laws, penalties, restrictions and limits use alcohol.
Some specialists ask to augment the penalties for a drunk driving. They consider that new and severe restrictions could seize the quantity of car incidents on the roads because of a drunk driving in the United States. I think it would be right decision to regard the laws and heighten the restrictions due to the higher penalties introduced in other countries.
Nowadays, in most territories of the United States, the driver caught in a drunk driving for the first time, in the case he did not become a cause of the accident, has to pay a fine of $300 and is deprived the driving license for the period of half a year. If he comes across a police officer for a second time within ten years, the fine could be up to $5,000. For the third time, he has to pay $10,000. The driver, who repeatedly stranded behind the wheel drunk, may receive from 48 hours to six months in prison. Sometimes drunk drivers in the United States sentenced to community service. If a drunk driver was the cause of an accident, he would receive 10 years in prison. As you see, the law restrictions for drunk driving in America are absolutely pertinent and severe enough.
However, in some European countries the drunk driving is a criminal offense. For example, in Spain, the driver could go to prison for the period of 2 years, in Finland, up to 4. While, in the UK, there were introduced the largest in Europe driving sober fines, that could reach 7200 euro. Moreover, in France, for driving drunk, the driver should pay a penalty and a notice of appointment in the court. In f serious consequences, the driver pays 15,0000 euros and receives up to 10 years in prison. Since July 2013, all drivers in France must carry a set to check the blood alcohol content. The absence of such a set in the car is a subject to a fine. Chinese authorities are stricter than all other countries. The drunk driver guilty in a death incident could be sentenced for shooting. Thailand also has a death penalty for the same offense. In Singapore, the drunk driver caught for the first time, will be deprived of the rights for one year. He could receive a penalty or be inmprisoned for six months. In case of the accident when someone died on the road or suffered, in addition to the prison sentence, the offender leans up to six strokes of the cane. Japan punishes not only the drunk drivers, but also passengers sinking incidents to them in the car. If the driver is intoxicated, each adult passenger shall pay a fine equivalent to $ 3,000. There is no exception for the passengers on route and tourist buses. The driver also faces at least $ 8,700 fine or 5 years in prison. Such severe penalties do not leave a possibility to sit in the car drunken.
Nevertheless, many drivers think that the restrictions in America are too serious. Some of them believe that people have a right for a mistake, some consider that high penalties could not solve the problem of an elevated mortality on the roads because of a drunk driving. For example, in Belgium, the drunk driving will be cheaper. The driver just pays a fine of 140 euros. But the fact of a conscious society should be taken into consideration. Belgium has strict laws that limit the sales of alcohol and driving drunk is not so spread as in America. In most foreign countries, driving under the influence of alcohol is not prohibited, but the level of alcohol in the blood of the driver is merely limited. Effects of different doses of alcohol on driving ability, and as a result, the likelihood of an accident is determined, according to foreign experts, clearly. This gave rise to widespread support for the idea that the maximum allowed level of alcohol should not exceed 0.5 g per 1 liters of blood. Could we hope for the consciousness of the drivers?
Drunk driving used to be the most serious between all offences, because of the quantity of victims. This fact has led to numerous accidents. I think that high restrictions will help to keep the quantity of car accidents low. The accident problem concerns everybody. In developed countries, for violation of road rules people pay big sums because of restrictive rules of punishment is the most effective way to prevent accidents.
Works Cited
DWI/DUI Laws of U.S. States (DWI/DUI Laws of U.S. States). Retrieved from http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/DrivingIssues/1104284869.html#.VFdM3p9iSH0
