The mistakes that we make in life are often a great teacher. Individuals seem to be forgiving if we are genuine and have the ability to confess to our mistakes. However, some mistakes become decisions of morality, judgment and life.
Car accidents are an unfortunate event in life that we often cannot prevent. When a driver is in a car accident a million thoughts cloud the driver’s brain. Many experience the syndrome of flight, but quickly come to their senses and make the correct decision to address the other driver.
However, there are numerous individuals that decide to turn their accident into the term hit and run. Hit and run accidents are a common occurrence in America. Despite the tragedy hit and run accidents have very soft laws with minimal jail terms; even if the accident results in the death of an individual. Hit and run accidents are transformed if you add the element of alcohol. Alcohol gives the soft law titanium strength with strict jail terms. In addition, alcohol allows prosecutors to increase the penalty to vehicular homicide.
After a night on the town of drinking you make a moral decision and personal judgment to call a taxi or get behind the wheel. If you are in an accident and kill someone that decision brings stiff penalties. When you are in accident and decided to leave the scene of the crash you make a personal judgment and sober moral decision. Should we judge the non impared driver leaving the scene with stiffer penalties. This leads me to one single question; why are the penalties so different?
Any individual that has lost a family member in an accident understands the pain, shock and horror of that lost. However, a family that lost a family member to a hit and run accident has a empty void of never knowing who killed their loved one. We say laws are built on fairness but often contain an underlining thread of morality. Maybe it is time to reevaluate our laws and find the moral factor that running driver forgot.
This posting is dedicated to Kathy Hill-Young:
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_12573814
Tags: alcohol · drinking and driving · hit and run2 Comments
I think I will try to recommend this post to my friends and family, cuz it’s really helpful.
Hey, great post, really well written. You should write more about this.