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Could and should vehicle crash deaths and costs be deterred by tougher punishments?

By Douglas A. Berman

Regular readers know that, ever the utilitarian punishment fan, I have long thought that the many significant harms that result from drunk driving could and should justify a tougher criminal justice approach to this seemingly deterrable and very costly crime (see some of the posts linked below).  Now, this notable new article in my local Columbus Dispatch, which is headlined "CDC: Beef up traffic laws," has me wondering if we should get tougher on all driving crimes, not just drunk driving. Here is the factual background concerning some of the (very preventable?) costs that may result from our unwillingness to be tough enough with out driving rules and regulations: Traffic deaths and injuries are a preventable scourge that cost the nation about $99 billion a year in medical bills and lost productivity, according to the U...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on September 06, 2010 (boomark / email).