Drunk drivers are destructive forces to not only themselves but to the innocent people around them. Alcohol related crashes represent 40% of all fatal crashes (MADD, 2001). In the year 2000, 16,653 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol. Drivers age 21 to 29 drive the greatest proportion of their miles drunk. For one of every 140 miles driven in the United States in 1998, a legally i

ntoxicated person sat behind the wheel (NHTSA, 1999). Since the establishment of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 1980, the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities has decreased by nearly 29 percent, saving more than 48,000 lives. Although the results of MADD have proven to be effective through their public awareness campaigns, they are not nearly effective enough to save the thousands of lives that have been taken by this violent crime. If mandatory jail terms were imposed these drivers might think twice before getting behind the wheel. Suspending someone's license or giving them a fine is just a slap on the wrist for the crimes they commit. Most drivers who have suspended licenses drive regardless of the fact that they are driving illegally. If they see no problem with breaking the law by driving drunk they will have no problem driving with a revoked or suspended license. Putting them behind bars will disable them from driving drunk and taking their lives and the lives of others into their own hands.

The current penalties for drinking and driving prove to be ineffective due to the number of second and third time offenders. In 1999, one ou

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Approximate Word count = 786
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)