ACADEMIC WRITING DRAFTING ELC 093

TOPIC

DRUNK DRIVERS SHOULD HAVE STRICTER

PUNISHMENT

PREPARED BY

AISYAH HAZWANI BINTI ZIHNI AKHTAR (2022610012)

UZMA UMAIRAH AZRINE BINTI MOHD ZAINI (2022665336)

PI007K18

FOR

MADAM WAN SYARIZA WAN YADRI

16th APRIL 2023

 DRAFT: DRUNK DRIVERS SHOULD HAVE STRICTER PUNISHMENT
(800-1000 words) : 932 words

Driving under the influence, as opposed to just being under the influence of alcohol, as
best shown by drunk driving, is a criminal offense in various countries across the world. Drunk
driving is estimated to be the leading cause of road accidents globally, claiming many lives and
causing significant property damage. This is one of the most common issues that elicits a wide
range of reactions and points of view from the community. The issue, like seasonal incidences,
has become a source of dispute that must be handled as soon as possible, since the number of
road accidents involving drunk driving is deemed significant in view of the rising trend of cases.
Therefore, drunk drivers should have stricter punishment as they jeopardize not only themselves
but other road users as well, leads injustice to the victims by law and take their offenses lightly.

First and foremost, drunk drivers should face harsher punishments since they jeopardize
not just their own lives but also the lives of other road users. There are too many traffic accidents
caused by negligent intoxicated drivers, and these incidents often result in either minor or serious
injuries for the victims. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or any drug or other
psychoactive substance creates a higher possibility of a collision resulting in death or serious
injuries since they are experiencing loss of consciousness at the moment (World Health
Organization (WHO), 2022). Besides endangering the lives of other road users, intoxicated
drivers also harm their own, their community, and even the country's economy. An example of a
country’s economy is despite only having 60% of the world's vehicles, it is estimated that 93% of
it are all fatal accidents which subsequently made nations lose 3% of their gross domestic
product to road accidents (Adriazola et al., 2019). For individuals who are killed or rendered
permanently disabled, the costs resulting from the price of medical care, lost wages from their
occupation, and affected family members who must take time off from work or school to look
after the injured (World Health Organization (WHO), 2022). Therefore, heavier punishments
should be given to drunk drivers because the risk of being involved in road accidents is higher
further causing additional harm to other road users.
 Secondly, the punishment for inebriated drivers must be increased because the current act
is unjust and disproportionate to their actions. A lenient punishment for an act that results in the
death of innocent people conveys the message that these lives do not matter. According to
Section 44(1) of the Penal Code, a person who is found guilty of causing the death of another
person while driving under the influence must serve a minimum of ten years in prison and no
more than fifteen years, pay a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000, and have his or her
license suspended for at least ten years (Penal Code Act 574, 2022). Even after fifteen years, it
still does not feel sufficient to compensate for the lives lost and the suffering caused to the
victims' families (Bernama, 2020). This is due to the fact that drunk drivers face only prison time
or a fine, which is insufficient to compensate the victims for their losses. Moreover, when
innocent people are murdered in an instant, it leaves a wake of anguish for their loved ones.
Because the crime is traumatic for the entire family, the perpetrators must be held accountable so
that the incident does not fade from everyone's memory (Alagesh, 2021). Hence, since the
existing act for drunk drivers punishment does not bring justice to the victim as the current act is
out of proportion, their punishment needs to be tougher.

Furthermore, because the existing punishment treats their offences lightly, intoxicated
drivers continue to fail to learn from their actions, which endanger many lives. When the penalty
for wrongdoing is insufficient, the offender is unlikely to change his or her behaviour. This is
evident when Section 45A (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 provides for a fine of RM1,000 to
RM6,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months for drivers convicted of DUI
under present legislation (Road Transport Act 333, 1987). Because of the law's perceived
weakness and overly low sanctions, an increasing number of people are likely to handle this
problem carelessly (Bernama, 2020). As a result, the general public is growing increasingly
bewildered and arrogant in its willingness to defy the law. According to Mohamed Fadzil Che
Din, a counselling psychologist at UPNM, this is because the regulations are frequently out of
current, incorrect, and filled with loopholes, since even a BAC of 0.05 could provide an
intoxicating impact, much less the 0.08 allowed in Malaysia (Bernama, 2020). As a result,
punishment must be more severe, as intoxicated drivers are able to get away with the current
mild punishment.
 As a conclusion, intoxicated drivers endanger not only themselves but also other road
users, violate the law unfairly, and do not take their crimes seriously. By increasing the penalties
for driving under the influence of alcohol, such as higher fines, lengthier licence suspensions,
mandatory ignition interlock devices, jail time and even the death penalty, we can send a strong
message that this behaviour will not be tolerated. It is possible that stricter penalties for drunk
drivers will not completely eliminate the problem, but they will have a significant impact on
reducing the number of drunk driving incidents and ultimately preserving lives. It is time for our
legal system to take a firm posture on this issue and implement harsher penalties for those who
choose to drink and drive.
References

Adriazola, C., Banerjee, S. R., & Sharpin, A. B. (2019, January 9). Report: 1.35
Million People Killed Every Year in Traffic Crashes. And Counting. TheCityFix.
Retrieved February 28, 2023, from
https://thecityfix.com/report-1-35-million-people-killed-every-year-in-traffic-crashes-and
-counting-claudia-adriazola-steil-subha-ranjan-banerjee-anna-bray-sharpin/

Road traffic injuries. (2022, June 20). World Health Organization (WHO).
Retrieved February 28, 2023, from
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries

Bernama (2020, June 2). Addressing drunk driving - Can heavier penalties do the
job? Malaysiakini, from https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/528444

Alagesh, T. N. (2021, March 3). Life-long misery for Kuantan’s drunk driving
victim’s family. New Straits Times, from
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/03/670691/life-long-misery-kuantans-drunk-d
riving-victims-family

Statutes
Penal Code Act 574, As at 20th January 2022
Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) Amendment 2013