Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Where Do We Draw the Line?

It never fails that when someone is wronged in some way, they want justice. We all (even if only secretly) want those who hurt us to be punished. If you hurt or kill someone because you are driving under the influence, you receive jail time. In Texas, it's called Intoxication Assault or Intoxication Manslaughter and is punishable with a fine not more than $10,000, 2 to 20 years in prison, and from 160 to 800 hours of community service.

We've heard about it since we were in grade school, DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE! It is a willful act to drink alcohol or use drugs and then operate your vehicle. It is also a willful act to operate your cellular device (texting/calling/updating) while also operating your vehicle. Studies show that distracted driving is comparable to drinking and driving with regard to accidents. So why are there no legal consequences for those drivers who hurt or kill someone while they are driving distracted? Should there be? How do you draw the line? Where do you draw the line?

Read these stories and weigh in:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/05/14/distracted-driving-death.html
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2436225.shtml
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-mct-harrodsburg-man-avoids-jail-must-discuss-20120504,0,6544388.story

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