The Student Room Group

Should Drink Driving Carry a harsher sentence?

Its been a topic which has been on the news more recently and one which i think personally needs reform.

Currently being caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs carries a

6 months’ imprisonment

an unlimited fine

a driving ban for at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years)

And causing death carries a

14 years’ imprisonment

an unlimited fine

a ban from driving for at least 2 years

an extended driving test before your licence is returned

So surely a ban from driving would be over before the offender is even released so that being a requirement is useless.

I think the sentence needs to be harsher if caught, as i would guess most of the time the person would not even go to prison and get a fine and be banned for 1 year. That clearly does not really carry much of a reason to not do it, i think they need to increase the sentence to something like 2-5 years if caught (lets be honest it could lead to a fatality).

If people are punished with harsher sentences from the start it would be more of a reason to not do it. Giving someone a fine is hardly a punishment anyway.

Also i think anyone who kills whilst drink driving or under the influence of drugs should be given a life sentence. I personally think the sentences for a large amount of offences in this country need to be re though of and undergo reform as currently they clearly are not working. The amount of people drink driving or driving under drugs is a joke.

What do you guys think? Does the sentence need to be higher?

Scroll to see replies

Yes
No I don't think it needs to be changed. 14 years is enough to time. I don't think you should have a lifetime in jail.
Original post by RiahDawson
No I don't think it needs to be changed. 14 years is enough to time. I don't think you should have a lifetime in jail.


I doubt anyone yet has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for driving under the influence. At best, they would leave within 7 years for good behaviour.

OP, I agree completely, but implementing this in terms of cost would be a very big issue.
Original post by RiahDawson
No I don't think it needs to be changed. 14 years is enough to time. I don't think you should have a lifetime in jail.


You realise 14 years is the maximum (as pointed above) - Why not? You just killed someone down to your stupidity why should you be allowed to roam free?

Original post by thegodofgod
OP, I agree completely, but implementing this in terms of cost would be a very big issue.


I agree that it would cost more, however i think it is now becoming more and more necessary its a repulsive act and its so selfish. If the sentence was increase it could potentially deter people through the fear (i know there is a sentence currently but i dont think its very effective in prevention) and if people are fearful they might not do it and therefore the cost could actually decrease. Just my thoughts but obviously reality would be different.
Lifetime ban in my opinion
Original post by TSRFT8
You realise 14 years is the maximum (as pointed above) - Why not? You just killed someone down to your stupidity why should you be allowed to roam free?.


Because people can change. Because being locked up for 14 years (or however long they are) with the guilt of taking someones life is very likely going to affect that person. Being imprisoned for life wont bring anyone back and wont do any good. I just feel they could spend that time in a much better way. Some people can be young and stupid but I think you should still give them a chance to improve.
Also life imprisonment will hardly deter many more off as a lot would still assume "it wont happen to me".
What they should do is a leaflet with the picture of the person who has received a ban and post it in the letterboxes of the ten nearest houses either side and opposite where he /she lives saying this person has received a ban please call this numbr to let us know if you see him/her driving again before this specified date.
The number of times people get a ban an are driving again a couple of days later is astounding.They know full well that the chances of them getting another pull are low if they drive more sensibly.
Original post by ODES_PDES
Lifetime ban in my opinion


100% agree, this should be the MINIMUM.

Original post by RiahDawson
Because people can change. Because being locked up for 14 years (or however long they are) with the guilt of taking someones life is very likely going to affect that person. Being imprisoned for life wont bring anyone back and wont do any good. I just feel they could spend that time in a much better way. Some people can be young and stupid but I think you should still give them a chance to improve.
Also life imprisonment will hardly deter many more off as a lot would still assume "it wont happen to me".


Thats whole point? To affect them? Your view on this matter actually pisses me off i cant lie. How do you propose these cretins better spend their time? They did not even have the decency to not drive whilst drunk, why should they be given a chance? Honestly in these circumstances the death penalty is rightly warranted but since that will never happen a life sentence is permissible, coupled with a life time driving ban. And no i think if you increase the sentence it will put them off through fear, even if the fine was increased to something more of a punishment such as £50,000 in damages regardless of income, so the im poor i cant afford it card cant be used.

Original post by caravaggio2
What they should do is a leaflet with the picture of the person who has received a ban and post it in the letterboxes of the ten nearest houses either side and opposite where he /she lives saying this person has received a ban please call this numbr to let us know if you see him/her driving again before this specified date.
The number of times people get a ban an are driving again a couple of days later is astounding.They know full well that the chances of them getting another pull are low if they drive more sensibly.


I agree i think its come to the point where these things are barely even seen as punishments by the offenders. I think its disgusting how small the punishment is for being caught let alone causing a fatality.
Original post by RiahDawson
Because people can change. Because being locked up for 14 years (or however long they are) with the guilt of taking someones life is very likely going to affect that person. Being imprisoned for life wont bring anyone back and wont do any good. I just feel they could spend that time in a much better way. Some people can be young and stupid but I think you should still give them a chance to improve.
Also life imprisonment will hardly deter many more off as a lot would still assume "it wont happen to me".


Can you guarantee that they won't sit drunk behind the wheel and kill somebody again? Yes, you won't bring them back but how do you think the family would feel if they'd see the killer walking free and possibly killing someone else?
All cars for like 5+ years have to have regulators and trackers
You need to remember that a lot of people drive drunk because of peer pressure, and they don't really have much of a choice unless they want to destroy their entire social lives.(though personally, I wouldn't mind losing a bunch of douches that make me drive drunk, but I'm more apathetic to friendships than most people)

They could be good people at heart, but they make one mistake that puts other peoples' lives at risk. While they need to be discouraged from ever making that mistake again, so they should be at least jailed for a few months; I think a lifetime jail sentence is a bit excessive if they haven't actually done much damage, or killed anyone. We should reserve lifetime sentences for people with actual motives, or psychopaths who murder for fun; not for mostly innocent people who make one terrible mistake.

However, I do think people who have been caught drunk driving repeatedly should bear a very long jail sentence, and a lifetime ban from driving, because at that point; they're clearly just douches with no care in the world.

I do think that the limit of imprisonment for killing someone while drunk driving should be removed though.(so that courts can give people life sentences) It's kinda stupid that it's limited to 14 years /:
Tbh killing someone via drink driving is actually a funny spot in law.... seeing if something is done under the influence you actually have lesser responsibility IIRC. That said normal drink driving is quite funny with me personally.

I was caught drink driving 3 years ago now. The reason I did it? The view I had that so many people did it in my area and never got caught nor hurt anyone. The first time I did it was after two pints, thinking "meh I'm only slightly over, I can still drive", however it had became a more regular occurrence by the time I was caught.

Seeing I have never been in trouble with the law, when I got caught was horrifying. A night in the cells, interviews by police, DNA taken, mugshot etc etc. Then having court a few months later, your name spread all over the local newpaper and everyone.... literally everyone in the area knowing. My fb inbox was full from friends and acquaintance asking if it was me, people down my local pub asking. The a day in court all the information given out, looking at you and your life in detail etc.

You have to tell *all potential employers* while your ban and fine are still in place or unpaid. This means despite laws that state potential employers can't use it against you, I noticed a quick drop in actual interviews, I had to inform my university and couldn't drive for just over a year (which when living in the countryside kills your social life).

It was a horrific experience I would never want to re-live and for the first few months had my life almost falling apart. You now have a criminal conviction for life, university questioning my place, the upset it caused my family, almost caused a breakup with my GF at the time and I lost friends over it.

I'm personally in two minds whether or not the punishments should be harsher. On one hand it was enough in my situation, but if I had been used to being in trouble with the police or lived in a city with rough mates.... I think it would of had a much lesser impact. I think the potential punishments should be harsher, but tbh they already take everything into account. Repeat offenders risk jail time, as do those drastically over the limit, bans of varying lengths, income assessed fines etc.

After this all happened I realised speaking to others how many people actually have drink driving convictions. The vast majority are not bad people, just in that situation made a stupid decision. The fact most I spoke to lost their job, some partners etc, means simply looking at the sentence doesn't take everything into account.

Original post by Jazzyboy
You need to remember that a lot of people drive drunk because of peer pressure, and they don't really have much of a choice unless they want to destroy their entire social lives.(though personally, I wouldn't mind losing a bunch of douches that make me drive drunk, but I'm more apathetic to friendships than most people)

They could be good people at heart, but they make one mistake that puts other peoples' lives at risk. While they need to be discouraged from ever making that mistake again, so they should be at least jailed for a few months; I think a lifetime jail sentence is a bit excessive if they haven't actually done much damage, or killed anyone. We should reserve lifetime sentences for people with actual motives, or psychopaths who murder for fun; not for mostly innocent people who make one terrible mistake


I depends entirely on the person and area. In the countryside for example the amount of people who drink drive is astounding. Most do it because they don't feel they are 'that drunk' and historically in the countryside drink driving was tolerated until some time around the 90's.... even by the police.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by RiahDawson
Because people can change. Because being locked up for 14 years (or however long they are) with the guilt of taking someones life is very likely going to affect that person. Being imprisoned for life wont bring anyone back and wont do any good. I just feel they could spend that time in a much better way. Some people can be young and stupid but I think you should still give them a chance to improve.
Also life imprisonment will hardly deter many more off as a lot would still assume "it wont happen to me".


But it will prevent them from doing again. Meanwhile, there's some poor parent whose lost their child due to some idiot drink driving. Whose serving the life sentence?
I always thought it was amusing how really if you want to kill someone, just mount the curb and mow them down, claim you lost control of the car, or you were drunk. You'll get a much lesser sentence than if you straight up get your hands dirty.
Reply 15
Only 14 years when you've taken a LIFE away? What a joke.
Original post by joey11223
I always thought it was amusing how really if you want to kill someone, just mount the curb and mow them down, claim you lost control of the car, or you were drunk. You'll get a much lesser sentence than if you straight up get your hands dirty.


Was going to add that in; did not want people getting ideas. :s-smilie:

Original post by HAnwar
Only 14 years when you've taken a LIFE away? What a joke.


I think its very unlikely that the offender will EVER get 14 years. Most cases i think the max is really 3-7 years. The English legal system for you
Original post by TSRFT8
Was going to add that in; did not want people getting ideas. :s-smilie:



Honestly the arrogant lycra clad cycles are making me consider it. There's two sections of road on my drive to work which have a cycle lane on the pavement yet some cycles will still decide to use the middle of the left hand lane reducing a dual carriageway into a bottleneck. Funny thing is two cycles were right near each other, normal guy goes off onto the cycle lane when it starts (at a bridge) and lycra man stays on road...and stops at the lights, while other cyclist is free to skip the lights. Then when he sets off he veers into the middle of the lane....when I see them I want to drive alongside and slowly nudge the car to the left to force them into THEIR OWN LANE. I mean I'm not allowed to drive on the kerb or hard shoulder when I cba to use the car lanes, when the council goes to the trouble to make cycle lanes...ffs use them.
Reply 18
Original post by TSRFT8
Was going to add that in; did not want people getting ideas. :s-smilie:



I think its very unlikely that the offender will EVER get 14 years. Most cases i think the max is really 3-7 years. The English legal system for you


How pathetic.
Original post by ForgetMe
Can you guarantee that they won't sit drunk behind the wheel and kill somebody again? Yes, you won't bring them back but how do you think the family would feel if they'd see the killer walking free and possibly killing someone else?

Tbh It would be a good idea not to allow them to redo their driving license and not be allowed to drive ever again. That way they won't kill anyone behind the wheel again.

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