drink and drive = death

FUKUOKA — Three children were killed and their parents injured when their sports utility vehicle plunged from a bridge in Hakata Bay in Fukuoka on Friday night after being rear-ended by a drunk driver, police said Saturday.

What a tragic yet totally avoidable tragedy. So often I heard about complaints regarding the stringent drinking and driving policies here. At the moment Japan has a no-tolerance (0.03%BAC) policy. I sometimes felt it was a bit harsh for an employee to be fired because of a DUI (driving under the influence - of alcohol) ticket. As I grow older, I am in favor of harsher (and harsher!) penalties, especially since with age, I have grown to cherish life more than ever.

HOW THE WORLD DEALS WITH DRUNK DRIVERS:
Japan: 300,000 yen (almost 3000USD), passengers must pay, too
El Salvador: First offence is your last - you are shot by firing squad.
Malaysia: the driver is jailed and if he is married, his wife is jailed too.
Bulgaria: A second conviction results in execution.