Tougher penalties haven't kept drivers from drinking

Editor,

Recently, a local news show in Albuquerque questioned whether we as a community were any safer from drunken driving after all the legislation, tougher penalties and laws that we've adopted. Unfortunately, studies leaned heavily toward the fact that we are not safer.

We've seen the legal blood alcohol limit reduced to 0.08. We've shut down drive-up window sales. We've seen limited sales of alcohol on Sundays and holidays. We've toughened the penalties for first-time offenders. We've added mandatory ignition interlocks, and we've stepped up enforcement by the police and sheriff's departments across the state. And still, we're no safer driving along New Mexico's highways today than we were 15 years ago. The volume of DWI arrests is still the same as it was 15 years ago.

This year, we're looking at toughening up penalties for drunken drivers again.

It's become crystal clear that up to now, our penalties, education and punishments haven't worked to make us safer. Someone once told me, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Therefore, I would like to offer another solution to our state's problem.

I think we need to think past the punishment phase and stop reacting to the problem of people abusing alcohol and driving while intoxicated. Instead of reacting to the problem, why don't we look to prevention? I think it's time we required a license to purchase and consume alcohol.

The license would be issued by the state, and if you're caught drunken driving, the license would be revoked. You couldn't buy or consume alcohol anymore. We would be required to show our license at the store to make a purchase, and we would be

required to show our license to consume at a bar or restaurant.

Servers of alcohol must obtain a license from the Regulation and Licensing Department. We train them and hold them responsible for limiting the intake of alcohol by patrons, but we don't require the person drinking to be responsible for his or her own behavior.

We need a driver's license to operate a motor vehicle. We need a license to hunt or fish in New Mexico. We need permits and licenses to cut Christmas trees and firewood. Why don't we need a license to consume alcohol?

We're being forced to look to other avenues of enforcement to make our streets safer. Licensing is the next level. Regardless of the liquor lobby's efforts to suppress such ideas, licensing is our next line of defense in denying access to those who abuse alcohol.

Matt Waters

UNM student