Are DUI Laws Too Tough?

Are DUI laws too tough? Consider the following:o In Arizona, Illinois, Louisana and New Mexico, first time DUI offenders are required to install ignition interlock devises.
o Arizona has created a “Super Extreme” classification for DUI offenders with blood alcohol content of .2 percent. The minimum sentence for a first time “Super Extreme” DUI is 45 days in county jail.
o In states such as Georgia and Florida, a fourth conviction is automatically a felony offense with a minimum of one year prison time.
o In South Carolina, a fourth time offender could serve seven years in prison.
o Georgia requires all first time offenders to go through a court ordered alcohol dependence evaluation and subsequent counseling that is very strict.So, are these DUI laws too tough?Some consider that because there are more than 15,000 alcohol related deaths each year, no law can be tough enough.But, it’s no secret that DUI laws have gotten much stricter in the past decade, due in large part to the efforts of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). The maximum blood alcohol level has dropped from .1 to .08 meaning more people are “caught” driving drunk.Additionally, police have targets of catching a certain number of people on a DUI during a given shift. They will stop people on minor infractions looking to “catch” a drunk driver – even if his driving wasn’t impaired.As a result, ordinary people who are not endangering others are getting caught in a web of loosing their driver’s license, paying large fines and increases in insurance premiums, community service, alcohol programs, and even jail.No one wants another child to die as the result of a drunken driver. But one has to wonder if DUI laws are too tough now.