Charles, the article states very plainly that stricter laws have cut driving fatalities in Ireland by more than 50%. Very clearly, if the drunken drivers were able to navigate the roadways safely, there would not have been such an appreciable dip in fatalities. If people were driving within their abilities, the difference made by the enforcement of stricter laws would have been negligible. As such, the laws would have proven to be ineffective, and should therefor be revoked.

In a more perfect world, we wouldn’t need really any laws, because each and every one of us would be responsible to ourselves and to each other in our decisions and actions. Unfortunately, most of us (myself included) make bad decisions from time to time, and alcohol consumption doesn’t exactly increase one’s level of lucidity. Suggesting that seasoned drunks pose less of a risk than other distracted drivers sounds to my ears like suggesting heart disease is better than lung cancer. All things being equal, I’d prefer neither.

Most people I know are considered legally drunk after two glasses of wine and yet have a  higher control function than drivers who are sleep deprived, distracted, medicated, or simply incompetent. 

I would rather take my chances with a seasoned Irish patron who has a couple pints under his belt driving slowly down a country lane than some text-distracted teenager driving 30 mph over the speed limit on the freeway.  I would propose laws reflect the reality of the danger they pose over capricious rules that seriously couldn’t pass the laugh test.