POLICE have stepped up enforcement in implementing drink-driving laws. It will be effective in ensuring that the number of fatal mishaps go down and gradually become a rarity.

The deaths of a policeman at a roadblock, a food-delivery man who was dragged for 2km and a driver hit by a speeding drunk driver against traffic are shocking and completely unacceptable.

The need for the law to be amended to deal with these traffic offenders is urgently needed. The amended laws should treat them similarly to dangerous criminals slapped with non-bailable offences.

Our legislators, however, must be mindful not to enact laws that may excessively punish responsible liquor consumers as we must not forget that consuming liquor by itself does not constitute an offence.

Enforcement to be more effective must encompass all aspects of offences. Offenders must be made to feel that they cannot get away, even from minor offences.

Merely targeting drink-driving offences will not be sufficient in reducing the frequency of such accidents as many have become emboldened when it comes to committing minor traffic offences.

Road users must be made to feel the omnipresence of the relevant enforcement agencies, and the public can be brought on board by providing footage of any offence to help overcome the logistical burden of the police.

The police cannot be expected to be everywhere all the time in implementing effective traffic enforcement. They have other priorities in fighting crime and keeping the peace.

Fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers, although statistically are a small fraction of the overall number of fatal accidents, should not be tolerated at all.

However, knee-jerk reactions, such as banning liquor consumption or licences, are definitely not the answers.

Fatalities caused by non-alcohol related accidents are higher in numbers and we cannot ban all vehicles as a consequence.

Extreme punishments alone can never be the answer to any offence. Education and social maturity coupled with personal responsibility are more effective.

We need our legislators to come up with effective amendments that reflect the need to address serious drink-driving accidents while balancing the rights of responsible social drinkers in a progressive, contemporary society such as ours. – June 4, 2020.

* G. Selva reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.