The state of New Mexico has passed a bill that infringes upon the daily lives of each of its citizens in an attempt to curb the state’s high rate of DUI. Come 2008, every new car sold in the state will have to have an ignition interlock installed. The same device will have to be added to every used car sold the following year. According to the bill an ignition interlock is a “a device that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle by measuring an operator’s blood alcohol level before allowing the operator to start the vehicle and that periodically tests the operator’s blood alcohol level while he operates the vehicle”.
So every time a citizen of the state of New Mexico gets in their car they will take a brethalizer test. Every time. While they are driving they will be forced to take random brethalizers as well.
Now, let’s think about this for a second. Instead of solving the problem by penalizing the people who drive under the influence, the state has decided that its entire population must now submit to a test before they can even start their car in the morning. I sure hope no one in New Mexico has to rush to the hospital after January 1, 2008. After this fateful date, car-jackers, murderers and rapists will probably be nice enough to wait for their intended victims to take the test before they attempt to commit their crime, right?
To add some more fun to the issue, people will now get tested as they drive! As if the average driver doesn’t have enough distractions with other drivers, the weather, cell phones, screaming kids and pets, the state added one more. Utterly brilliant.
Boy, I would think that tougher DUI sentencing, revocation of the licenses of those convicted of DUI would be the intelligent direction to move. I guess the New Mexico State Legislature feels that all of their citizens are suspect and must be treated as if they have already endangered everyone else on the road.
Another sterling example of government creating a ludicrous solution for a very real problem.
It makes you wonder how many of these representatives count ignition interlock companies as donors to their re-election campaigns.