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Re: “Felony DUI bill stalls,” Feb. 20 news story.
One critic of a felony DUI bill in Colorado says, “Itap not a magic bullet. It does not have a deterrent effect that a lot of people think.” Another says making it a felony will not prevent drinking and driving.
But the years spent in jail by someone with repeat DUIs means that at least during those years, unknown numbers of loved people will not be slaughtered.
Years ago my dear father was killed by a repeat offender, and my mother and I seriously injured. Would that that man had been in jail for his previous DUIs.
Carol Waite Connor,Littleton
This letter was published in the Feb. 24 edition.If the state of Colorado wants to prevent drunken driving, lawmakers must acknowledge that alcohol is a legal, mind-altering, addictive drug with no long-term medical treatment for alcohol addiction. Alcohol education is helpful, but after ingesting alcohol, a person’s ability to adequately determine his or her ability to drive deteriorates. A first-time offender can cause a fatal crash. Certainly most multiple DUI offenders are addicted to alcohol.
What passes for alcohol treatment in the 21st century is abysmal. Until there is a political will to invest in medical treatment for alcohol addiction, many will be unable to stop drinking, and worse, they may drive drunk.
There is a device that can be installed in vehicles that requires only a touch of a finger to determine if alcohol is present and the vehicle will not start. If politicians and the public truly want to end drunken driving, such a device is a simple fix.
Phyllis Mains,Cortez
This letter was published in the Feb. 24 edition.
