Root causes of drunk driving need to be addressed

Another Christmas season drew to a close recently, and we all have to endure reading in the press and seeing on TV the tragic carnage resulting from drunk and impaired drivers.

But here is what I think we fail to grasp when it comes to trying to deter the unnecessary injuries and loss of life that drunk and impaired drivers cause and which inflicts serious sadness and grief on those families impacted and left behind.

No matter how many advertisements are put on TV showing gruesome accident scenes, or mothers, fathers and other loved ones lamenting the loss of life of their family members, as a result of drunk and impaired drivers, this visual shock approach alone, will not deter or reduce significantly the carnage resulting from this element of society.

We need to address the root causes of this serious social illness in a more meaningful way than is being done at present if we are serious about finding a solution to it. Persons suffering from chronic alcohol and drug abuse/addiction problems, are unable to comprehend the risk they are putting the lives of innocent people at when operating a motor vehicle, so why should we expect that they will be sobered by shock advertisements? They do not have the mental stability or capacity to understand what is being impressed upon them by these ads because of their addiction and dependence problems. And this is understandable.

Now do not get me wrong or misunderstand what I am trying to say, advertisements like what we see from MADD, our government, ect., does do some good when it comes to rational and responsible people that can still comprehend reason but, it does little or no good in being a deterent to the chronic alcohol and drug abuser.

What we need to consider doing is this. When repeat drunk or impaired drivers and drug abusers are caught there should be a mandatory rehabilitation program dictated as a part of their sentencing that should also include jail time. We need to come to the conclusion that tough love is required to deter this irresponsible behavior.

The accident prevention arm of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has also embarked on a similar shock advertisement program with the mistaken belief that you can deter or eliminate work place accidents by showing workers losing limbs with the usual blood and guts dramatics. Their ads are even more ridiculous and an insult to the intelligence of people when they try to suggest that there is no such thing as an accident. As a matter of fact, these ads have come under public criticism because of their graphic nature and being shown at times when young audiences are exposed to them.

The causes of workplace accidents are myriad, complex and varying in numbers which makes this type of accident preverntion most difficult.

Employers are usually the ones most blamed for industrial accidents and heavily fined for them, when in fact the worker in most cases is equally responsible. Unions too do not support strict discipline of workers who are negligent in causing injury and sometimes death to themselve and coworkers.

Until the root causes of industrial carnage is addressed seriously, the numbers will continue to climb and shock ads will do no good other than to cost employers big money to fund them and create a smoke and mirrors environment that suggests the safety association is actively pursuing a solution.

To make my case let us look at another relevant issue of concern to us all, the serious amount of violent crime that continues to rise in numbers each year in the GTA and surrounding urban areas that has taken more lives in 2007 than the record set, in the infamous Year of the Gun.

Politicans, especially that buffoon Mayor of Toronto (David Miller), consistently blame the gun for the problem when there are almost as many homicides committed with knives and other weapons. Then some want us to believe we need more police and in fact have been given more police.

Some blame poverty for it, even though poverty has been with us since Canada became a nation, yet the problem of increasing violent crime in the GTA has only escalated within the past 10 or so years.

The fact of the matter is, in Canada we do not have the guts to deal with the facts, root causes, and the reality of any situation, especially those that involve sensitive issues. Instead, we look to other irrelevant causes to blame and the problem is and never will be resolved.
T.D. Allamby,
Briar Hill