Three Beers, Five Years.

A recent article about Clyde D. Covington, Jr. tells a sad tale in which there are no winners. Mr. Covington was convicted of aggravated involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence, and failing to comply with a traffic signal in Virginia Beach this past week. Unfortunately, he blew a 0.09% BAC after an accident in which another driver died. According to his attorney, he had consumed three beers at dinner with friends before the accident. If you are thinking "Wow, three beers isn't much, I'm lucky I've never been in that situation", you're not alone.

Deaths caused by driving under the influence are a tragedy. There is absolutely no reason for drunk driving to continue to rob us of our loved ones and to cause otherwise good people to be branded as criminals. Our society is technologically advanced enough to stop drunk driving by placing ignition interlocks on all new cars so that they will not start unless the driver is sober. But the insurance companies, auto makers, police, alcoholic beverage sellers, restaurants, and government agencies aren't about to let go of the money they make from drunk driving.

Am I crazy for suggesting that we should all have to blow into the machine before starting our cars? Well, I might be crazy, but not because of that. What's crazy is Clyde D. Covington, Jr. serving five years in prison because of a tragedy that could easily have been prevented. What's crazy is the death of a woman who would still be with us if the government and MADD were courageous enough to actually stop drunk driving instead of engaging in profitable finger pointing. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of both of these people, because both are victims of the ongoing parade of DUI tragedy.