EDITORIAL — Drinking and driving

After he allegedly fell asleep while driving because he had had too much to drink, a motorcycle rider ran into and injured three people the other night in Barangay San Roque, Cebu City. Two of those injured just happened to be policemen on routine patrol in the area.

In some ways we are thankful because as far as accidents go it could have been much, much worse. He could have been driving a bigger vehicle, say an SUV. He could have ploughed into more than just three people. It could have happened during the day when other vehicles were about. Or those injuries suffered by those hurt --including the driver himself-- could have been more serious.

The pictures that came out in social media of the victims being taken to the hospital are heartbreaking, but aside from pictures we might need a stronger deterrent against people who dare to take the wheel while drunk.

According to Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act, if you fail the field sobriety tests like the breathalyzer exam and the drug test you will be fined between ?50,000 and ?100,000 and given a six-month prison sentence. If you cause an injury while driving impaired you will face imprisonment and steeper fines ranging from ?150,000 to ?250,000.

However, it might be that many aren’t aware of the penalties of this law. Then again, it might be worse; they might not care about it at all.

We can never discount the chances of someone driving drunk in this country. We have a strong drinking culture and our policemen on patrol cars also don’t particularly look out for drunk driving suspects like they do in other countries, breathalyzers at the ready. We can’t blame our policemen for this though, they are stretched thin already.

The best we can do is make sure those who risk their lives and thus the lives of others when they get inebriated and drive get the full treatment of the law. Never mind if they are rich or poor, never mind if they are they have been driving on the road for just a week or over 40 years already.

This doesn’t just go for the “kamote riders” car drivers derisively call people on two wheels, this goes for anyone who drives anything with an engine, uses the road, and puts people’s lives at risk.