Given the seriousness of driving while intoxicated behind
the wheel of thousands of pounds, it’s surprising that the announcement of a
new Virginia law to require first time offenders to drive only with an ignition
interlock device after their first offense was recently made[1].
The law is set to take effect July 1.
At present, Virginia law mandates that judges enforce
interlock devices for first-time offenders with a 0.15 or higher blood alcohol
content. This requirement also applies to subsequent DUI offenders.
Under the new law, the number of interlock devices installed
in vehicles in Virginia “is expected to soar” as a result of the new law,
according to the Richmond Times Dispatch.[2]
While some Virginians will cry foul at what they perceive to
be a harsh sentence for first time offenders, it’s time for drinkers to take responsibility
for their actions, especially when those actions put others in harm’s way.
Among my groups of friends in high school, driving
intoxicated wasn’t frowned upon or openly discouraged, and my group of friends was
or is hardly the exception.[3]
Young people are not the only ones making irresponsible
decisions, unfortunately. The problem also persists between the ages of 25-34,
give or take a few years.[4]
Even though I’m not inclined to look to the long arm of the
law for our society’s answers, it seems as though certain important elements in
our society have not stressed the seriousness and inexcusability of driving
drunk.[5]
Thus, in typical Virginia fashion, stiffer penalties have been put in place to
stem the tide of unnecessary deaths due to drunk driving.
This new law, however, will not be the perfect panacea. It will
still take the added effort of family members and friends to discourage driving
while intoxicated. Maybe we can use this opportunity to relearn individual
responsibility as an initial step to gradually take our lives back from
government laws and institutions.
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