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by Rob_Haswell from FOX 6 Milwaukee

Last Post 1 day, 10 hours Ago


Drinking and Driving Laws
Jun 4, 2008 | 8:38 AM
Category: News
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If you're a regular viewer or blog reader, you know I don't get political and I try to steer away from controversial topics.

That being said, I want to get on a bit of a soap box here because I do feel passionately that Wisconsin needs to strengthen its drunk driving laws.

All too often (almost all the time) when we report on drunk driving or driving under the influence, it is NOT the first or second time it's quite common that the driver has had 3 or more charges.  The most recent tragedy involves a driver that was charged with DUI just days before destroying a family. 

What's happening now just can't go on unchecked.

Tougher laws will protect our children.  They will protect you and your family.  They will protect us all.   In fact, tougher laws even protect those who drink and drive by making it harder for them to let their problem lead them to something far worse like vehicular homicide.

I will be writing to my representative today to ask him to support tougher laws and I ask you to do the same.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 5
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aaro-nf read my blog view my photos
Jun 4, 2008 | 3:42 PM

rob thanks for the post. you are right about that. we need to stand up and say hey, we need to protect the innocent passangers and drivers on the roadways here in this state. i think that they will do something before it becomes too late to save someone's life that was affected by a drunk driver. we need to also have stronger laws when someone is killed by a drunk driver. all they are getting is a slap on the wrist for the first offense. but here is the problem, when they go on probation or parole, they do not comply, meaning to stay away from alcohol. we also need to save children who lose their parents due to a drunk driver. fatal drunk driving accidents tear families apart. great job as always on the posting of this blog.
JAGuse read my blog
Jun 5, 2008 | 1:25 PM

Absoutely, 1000% in full agreement with you. My solution to the problem is this:

First time DUI: Revocation of driver's license for five years, and $5,000 fine. If caught driving during time period, automatic five year prison sentence.

Second time DUI: Revocation of driver's license for ten years, and $10,000 fine. If caught driving during time period, automatic ten year prison sentence.

Third time DUI: Under my draconian recommendations, there would not be a third time DUI. No one would be stupid enough to drive drunk behind the wheel.

I personally LOATHE drunk drivers. The reason being is due to personal experiences. About forty to fifty years, before I was born, my father's cousin was driving down the road at night in the state of Illinois. He was in the midst of having a conversation with his wife and kids. He could not therefore anticipate the drunken maniac behind the wheel of the oncoming car who happened to be driving in the wrong lane. There was a head-on collision and my cousin, his wife and their seven kids all lost their lives. His wife was pregnant with their eighth child and the child also lost its life as well. At the time, it was considered to be the worst accident in Illinois history.

The second episode happened six years ago and received extensive coverage from Fox Six. It is the very sad and tragic story of Jake and Lauren Szelfinski, two kids who did not even reach the first grade. Jake was five. Lauren was not even a year old. They were both killed when a 78 year old man crashed into their vecicle. The 78-year old man had be
JAGuse read my blog
Jun 5, 2008 | 1:26 PM

The 78-year old man had been drinking too much.

The accident led the DOT to construct a barrier in the I-43 median in northern Milwaukee and Southern Ozaukee counties. The Szelfinski's are good friends of our family and so I took the accident EXTREMELY PERSONALLY.
desertwindrider read my blog view my photos
Jun 7, 2008 | 11:32 AM

I don't know how we can regulate personal responsibility, but we keep trying.
FF-EMT read my blog
Jun 13, 2008 | 7:12 PM

All I can say is I have had my share of responding to a bad car crash! over the last 16 yrs I don't care to count how many I have been too. It's very hard to see the injury's and the DUI driver walking around with no injury!
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Rob_Haswell

FOX 6 Meteorologist =========================
Rob is an AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and also holds the National Weather Association Seal of Approval as well as the Endorsement of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. =========================
A long, long, time ago in a farmers field far, far away, Rob noticed a change in the wind and became fascinated with the weather. Why you ask? (Pause for you to say "why?") Well, it was at that moment he realized he was downwind of the manure pile on the turkey farm where he grew up! After that he watched the weather very carefully in an effort to save his sense of smell! Okay, that's not entirely true but I did grow up on a turkey farm and I have been fascinated with weather and broadcasting for quite some time. I began my career in radio before making the jump to TV. I worked on Good Morning Toronto. After that, I decided to pursue my dream of living and working in the U.S. and joined Wake Up Rochester in Rochester NY. I spent three years in "Bills Country" before coming to my senses and moving to "Packer-Town!" (GO PACK!) I also spent some time trying to make it big as a comic actor and studied the art of improvisation at Toronto's Second City Theatre with teachers like SCTV's Joe Flaherty! I moved here with my beautiful wife, Tanya, who's the real comedian in the family, my son Noah, who's giving my wife a run for the title of funniest Haswell and my daughter Nyla who is the cutest 2 feet of human being you could ever meet! We're very excited to be living in the great city of Milwaukee and we're looking forward to learning all there is to know about Wisconsin! By the way, where do you buy those cheesehead hats anyway?

Member Since: 8/24/2006


 

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