Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer BlogLabor Day Greetings From MADD
It would not be Labor Day without some MADD fear mongering. MADD is unveiling their latest holiday crackdown on social drinking. IWTS took the opportunity to break down the latest MADD press release.
From MADD…
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) have launched a tough Labor Day law enforcement crackdown on drunk driving.
IWTS Says- With the new .08 BAC there is no crackdown on drunk driving. There is a crackdown on social drinkers who drive.
This nationwide enforcement campaign—Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.—launched Aug. 14 and runs through Sept. 3, and involves tens of thousands of local and state law enforcement agencies making sure the nation’s roadways are free from drunk driving through intensive enforcement initiatives such as checkpoints and saturation patrols.
The highways will never be made free from drunk driving. Tragedy and bad choices are the cover charge for a free society. MADD knows that elimating drunk driving is impossible. However, it sounds better than Neo Prohibition.
In addition, Congress provided NHTSA $11 million for a national advertising campaign to intensify the impact of the enforcement drive. Cutting-edge television and radio ads geared toward male drivers ages 21-34—the demographic group at highest risk for causing fatal drunk driving crashes—are airing in both English and Spanish across the country.
True, except the cutting edge part. The ads have the same “The Cops are Coming to Get You” message that alcoholics ignore. These ads are effective in giving law enforcement the moral certainty required to arrest a driver who has had two drinks at dinner and then drives home.
The primary goal of the crackdown is to deter people from driving drunk as well as arrest as many drunk drivers as possible through proven enforcement techniques like sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.
The primary goal is Prohibition. Checkpoints have little to do with public safety. They are fishing expiditions for drugs and DWI. I would rather be free from unreasonable search and seizure than to have the false security of a checkpoint.
Vehicles are stopped in a specific sequence, such as every other vehicle or every fourth, fifth or sixth vehicle. Currently, there are 10 states that do not allow checkpoints and MADD aims to advocate for change in these states.
Probable cause is such an outdated idea. Freedom and liberty are getting in the way of good public safety measures like chekpoints. Stopping every 4th or 5th car sounds like a great way to fight crime. We should also raid every fourth or fifth house and look for drugs. Or arrest every fourth or fifth citizen and look for terrorists.
So, this Labor Day, have fun but remember to designate a sober driver or one will be designated for you by law enforcement officers hitting the streets in search of drunk drivers.
Sell your car, quit drinking, and throw away the Bill of Rights; but remember to have fun on Labor Day.