DUI plates, the new scarlet letter
Since the random DUI checkpoints didn’t pass, the powers that be have another idea for cracking down on drunk drivers. Only this is more a retroactive shame technique, in case the existing penalties are not a serious enough deterrent.
The latest proposal? Convicted drunk drivers would need to display a yellow license plate on their car. Republican senator Mike Carroll of Lakewood says this would be another tool to get people to stop drinking and driving. I’m not sure that his quote makes sense to me, though. “There are some people who don’t believe we should have shame in our community; that things are so bad that people should know that they’ve done them,” Carroll said. So is he saying that we should or should not shame people?
More importantly, would it be effective? “I don’t know yet,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “I don’t know how much we’ll accomplish by that and I need to talk with my experts in the state patrol and the chief and those in the sheriff’s and chiefs.” Mothers Against Drunk Driving says it’s not in favor of the idea because there’s no scientific data showing the special plates reduce drunk driving. Plus, innocent family members would have to ride in the car would bare the shame.
There is one other state that actually does this, and has for the past four years - that is Ohio. If the WA state bill passes, DUI drivers would have to drive with the special plates for one year. There would be an exemption when driving work vehicles.
What do you think? Good idea, or too “Scarlet Letter” for our society?
February 12th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
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