The Chicago Sun Times gave us some startling numbers this week: In all of Cook County, there were nearly 6,000 traffic fatalities between 1994 and 2008. A third of traffic deaths were linked to drinking and driving. MADD’s statistics show that half of those involved in drunken driving accidents have never been stopped or arrested before for DUI. That’s a lot of deaths, directly due to first time charged drunk driving.
Hopefully, increased education and law enforcement will continue to work on these numbers. The numbers suggest problems that law enforcement and maybe the legislature will have to further address. In Minnesota, this would require another look at the joint and several laws. When the recent law was revised, bars were granted reduced liability when they serve a drunk and the drunk causes a tragedy. It’s time that the law change be revisited.
