Cracking Down on Drunk Drivers

Using Sting Operations to Reduce Drunk Driving

In our haste to crack down even harder on drunken drivers, we sometimes go overboard and venture into the ridiculous. A case in point concerns the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Employing "sting operations" at bars throughout the state, TABC officers have been arresting drinkers who have had too many drinks. The rationale for these special tactics is that these sting operations will cut down on drunk driving. This is a fine rationale, but there's one big problem with these special operations: the TABC officers are arresting drinkers while they're still in the bars!

Affecting the Bottom-Line: Revenue Generation

Interestingly, some of the main criticisms of the tactics employed by TABC have been coming from tourism officials who believe that these sting operations might hurt the tourism industry by tarnishing Texas' "hard-drinking image." In other words, if a number of people who usually visit Texas to do some "hard-drinking" believe that they might get arrested in one of the TABC sting operations, many would-be tourists may decide against visiting Texas. Obviously, this could give Texas a "bad reputation" that would adversely affect the revenue that has been historically generated by the tourists.

Intrusive and Illogical Countermeasures

I agree that arresting drinkers while they are still in the bars is "over the edge" but not because of the complaints from the tourism officials or because these sting operations are giving Texas a "bad reputation." Simply put, arrests made by TABC officers while drinkers are still in the bars are too intrusive and in some instances, unfair. This being said, however, I don't think that Texas' "hard-drinking image" and tourism issues should affect the intent to significantly reduce the number of Texans who die or who are injured in alcohol-related accidents each year. Image and tourism are legitimate issues, but they should not influence laws that are passed to reduce alcohol-related injuries and fatalities on the Texas highways.

A Real-Life Example

I am in favor of creative ways to significantly reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities experienced on our nation's highways, but sting operations consisting of arresting drinkers while they're still in the bars are too excessive. To better understand my point, let's create a very possible scenario. My buddy and I go to a Texas bar and my buddy decides to get drunk as a skunk. This decision, from a drunk driving perspective, is OK with me due to the fact that I agreed to be the "designated driver" who will drive my friend home after our night is over. Under these circumstances, I don't think that the TABC officers have any right to arrest my buddy for excessive drinking.

An Issue of Mixed Messages

Regrettably, the TABC sting operations illustrate the mixed messages that exist in our society about drinking alcohol. Simply put, how can something as accessible, available, and acceptable in our society be so harmful AND illegal when consumed at or slightly above moderate intake levels?

Stated differently, alcohol is so prevalent in our culture that it has become intimately ingrained in the fabric of our society. Due, however, to the thousands and thousands of people in our country who experience serious alcohol-related health problems or who die or get injured in alcohol-related traffic accidents every year, many members of the medical community, the law enforcement community, and organizations such as MADD and Alcoholics Anonymous actively and strongly denounce "excessive" drinking and in some instances advocate total abstinence.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, until we can significantly reduce or eliminate the mixed messages that exist in our society about drinking alcohol, I believe that we will continue to experience and hear about alcohol-related horror stories that have become staples of the news industry. In the meantime, however, an increasing number of laws will be passed that are explicitly directed towards reducing drunken driving. Some these laws, however, will be so extreme and intrusive that they shouldn't exist in a civilized society. TABC, are you listening?

Copyright 2007 - Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.