Alcohol related deaths down...not by much

[Keith]

Oklahoma now ranks 25th in the number of alcohol related deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Last year we had 255 deaths, related to alcohol, and in 2002 we had 251.

Nationwide, there has been a 3% drop in alcohol related deaths. 17,524 in 2002, to 17,013 in 2003. Texas has the higher rate with a total of 1700, from last year.

I still see a big problem here . With all of the programs we have to keep drunken drivers off the road, one would think that alcohol related deaths would be down a lot more.

Is alcohol easier to get nowadays? Do we have a lot of underage drinking going on? If so, what kind of stiff penalties can we slap on people that buy alcohol for underage kids ?

We must be lax on drunken drivers, because you always hear about an accident, involving a drunken driver, who has been arrested numerous times and doesn't even have a license, yet they are still out on the streets. Lately, we have had instances where a drunken driver has actually plowed in to the back of a police car while the officer was writing a citation for somebody else.

Something is very wrong with our system when these drunken drivers are back on the roads, killing other people, because of their stupidity.

[mranderson]

Here is what we should do about DUI. In fact, on dream I have is to be in the state Senate, but with the recent death of Keith Leftwich, I think that dream has to wait. His wife will probably be in the full 12 years.

Make DUI a first offense felony punishable by a mandatory one year in prison without parole. Second offense. 25 years minumim in prison. Third... LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE! If there is an accident, an additional charge (fault or not) would be vehiclare vandolism with a mimumum one year. Injuries. vehicluar assult. mimimum five years per injury. Death. Vehicluar homicide. Minimum 25 years per count. passangers in your vehicle. Injured or not, accident or not. Endangering the life of another person. One year per count minimum. Children. Child endangerment and child neglect. Minimum five years per count.

Plus, require restitution for damages, injuries, estimated loss of income and funeral expenses. Plus suspend license automatically for five years, require alcohol rehab programs including therapy.

I bet a lot of people would think before grabbing the wheel plowed.

[Patrick]

I'm with Mr. Anderson. I think we just need stiffer penalties in this state. If you drink and drive, you should pay the price, instead of just getting a slap on the wrist like you do now. How about suspending your license for a year and having you serve some jail time. The former wouldn't be sufficient by itself, because a drunk would drive regardless of whether he had a license or not. Maybe even a little community service time wouldn't hurt. Fines should definitely be increased. I suppose you could impound the guy's vehicle(s) for a few months...that might do the trick.