I agree that the dangers that drunk drivers impose on the general public is a big issue. It’s irresponsible and something needs to be done.

On the other hand, it is not the bars or restaurants responsibility to take someone’s keys or give them a breathalyzer as they leave an establishment.

First of all, it would be a huge liability for the establishments to be put in the position to hold someone’s keys, and a bigger responsibility to test them and either send them on their way or withhold their keys.

Bartenders, managers and wait staff do keep an eye on the patrons to make sure they are not being over-served, but a person on the wait staff doesn’t know what a person does when they leave an establishment. It could be more drinking, drugs or erratic driving that causes the dangers to the public.

I agree that something needs to be done, but that something is for people to take responsibility upon themselves to drive sober. The drinking age is 21 years old, in hopes that once people are old enough to drink, they are old enough to be responsible.

One last thing is that I think the increases you see in the number of DWI arrests show that the laws are working and law enforcement is very serious about catching drunk drivers.

Part of the number of increased penalties you see in the paper is a direct result of lowering the legal limit to .08.

Will laws ever keep people from breaking them? Absolutely not, and I agree that there lies the problem, so other than teaching responsibility and ticketing drunk drivers there is little that can be done.

There is technology available for probation officers to connect breathalyzers to the ignition switch of repeat-offender’s vehicle. I believe that is one way to prevent DWIs, but it is also a slippery slope into the privacy of individuals who are responsible enough to take a cab home.

I think repeat offenders should be subjected to the ignition-switch breathalyzer, but I’m sure there are ways to get around that if one wants to as well.

I think the only way to make roads safe of drunk drivers is to get to kids early, so they are aware of the dangers and once they become old enough to drink they are responsible enough not to drive.