I just read Pete Vere's latest editorial, and the e-mail response from the "sociologist" who objected to the coverage of the R.I.D.E. check Pete went on this weekend. Read story here.

I think we all acknowledge that SooToday's policy of naming people who are charged with drinking and driving offenses IS controversial, but also that drinking and driving IS one of the more insidiously heinous crimes that is committed all too frequently in our community.

I fail to see how, as the sociologist suggests, SooToday's mocking coverage of these situations "perhaps exacerbates the problem."

The writer suggests that "if you're not part of the solution, you are truly part of the problem."

I fail to see how identifying people who make a deliberate decision to drink alcohol without giving any consideration as to how it will affect their ability to drive is part of the problem.

The writer reminds us that those charged with such offenses have a long and legal road ahead, and that many of them will have difficulty affording the legal costs involved. The writer also suggests that people might lose their jobs, having no transportation with which to get to work.

The writer suggests that by humiliating those charged with drinking and driving offenses, and making their personal issues public knowledge will not "make them think twice," but instead will encourage them, especially the younger adults, to keep making poor decisions.

Here’s my take on the situation.

The government, various anti-drinking and driving awareness groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID), and even brewers and distillers have launched awareness campaigns. Laws have been, and continue to be, strengthened. Reports of drinking and driving charges — with or without names — have appeared in the media.

And yet, we still read media reports of tragic life-changing and fatal "accidents" involving drunk drivers. It would seem that some people just don’t get the message.

Sadly, as with the case of the teen-age driver charged this past weekend, young people are ignoring the message.

Perhaps, then, if the knowledge that they will not only lose their license, receive substantial monetary penalty — including fines, various fees, and increased insurance costs — and be compelled to equip their vehicle (when they are again allowed to drive) with an ignition interlock device is not quite enough of a deterrent, then the realization that they will be publicly identified — yes, and humiliated — might, might, do the trick.

Besides which, the humiliation can be avoided simply by not choosing to drink and drive. Period.

I am far less disturbed by the thought of a person charged with drinking and driving being humiliated than I am by the thought of attending another funeral for someone killed by a drunk driver.

Don't Drink and Drive