Drunk Driving

B1 – Intermediate

Driving under the influence, or driving while impaired, is the crime or offense of operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or other drugs (including recreational drugs and those prescribed by physicians), to a level that renders the driver incapable of operating a motor vehicle safely.

Linda Hunt

In 1994, in the town of Barrie in central Canada, Linda Hunt, a part-time receptionist at Incentive Realty, got drunk at an office Christmas party. Her boss noticed what had happened and told her if she was going to drink any more she had to call her husband and ask him to come and pick her up. The boss had also told all the employees before the party began that, if they felt they were too drunk to drive home safely, the company would pay for a taxi.

But Linda ignored her boss’s warning. She felt all right. After the party, Linda and some of her co-workers went to P.J.’s pub in Barrie and continued drinking. By the time Linda left the pub and headed home, it was snowing—and Linda had more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in her blood. Several of her friends offered her a ride but she refused. On the road she lost control of her car and hit a truck. She received serious head injuries, including brain damage. She was in hospital for several months and needed both physiotherapy and speech therapy. Seven years later, she was still suffering from pain and mild amnesia.

On February 6, 2001 an Ontario Superior Court judge announced that Linda’s company and P.J.’s pub had to pay Linda a large part of the money she had lost because she was not able to work after the accident. Together they were ordered to pay more that $300,000, but, because the pub was not in business anymore, the realty company where Linda worked had to pay the whole amount.

There have been at least two other cases in Canada where an employer was held partly responsible for an accident caused by a employee drinking on the job, but this decision was important because it was the first time in Canada that an employer of a drunken driver has been found partly responsible for an accident even though they had warned their employee not to drive.

Linda Hunt’s lawyer was interviewed after the decision was announced. He said that, because of this case, there is now a possibility that people who allow their friends to get drunk in their homes, and then allow them to drive home will be held responsible for an accident.

– information from: Globe and Mail (Toronto), 01.02.06, and Toronto Star, 01.02.06

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think about drunk driving?

2. What are the penalties for drunk driving in your country?

3. Should the passengers/friends of a drunk driver also be punished?

4. Is drunk driving one of the biggest causes of road accidents in your country?

5. Is it fair to hold the employer responsible for an accident caused by a drunk employee?

0.00 avg. rating (0% score) - 0 votes

12 replies on “Drunk Driving”

1. What do you think about drunk driving?
It´s an irresponsible behavior. It´s very dangerous for the person who is drinking and also and more important, for the others drivers.
2. What are the penalties for drunk driving in your country?
There are a lot of administrative penalties, economical sanctions, removing points of the driver licence and in severe cases you can go to the jail.
3. Should the passengers/friends of a drunk driver also be punished?
No, it´s not possible. The reponsability is for the driver.
4. Is drunk driving one of the biggest causes of road accidents in your country?
No, I believe that it´s very sensible cause for the young people accidents but not in general
5. Is it fair to hold the employer responsible for an accident caused by a drunk employee?
If the company promotes the party and there aren´t neither controls nor transport alternatives may be, but not directly.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic.

Here’s a sentence you can revise:

No, I believe that it´s very sensible cause for the young people accidents but not in general

No, I believe that it makes a lot of sense that this is a very common cause of young people getting into accidents but in general, it isn’t the most usual cause of road accidents in my country.

Keep going with this exercise.

1. What do you think about drunk driving?
I think that they are very dangerous for other drivers. They are not conscious that they can do to theirshelves and others.
2. What are the penalties for drunk driving in your country?
They must pay a fine and lose points of their driving license. And even they could go to the prison if they kill someone.
3. Should the passengers/friends of a drunk driver also be punished?
Completely they should not be punished. The driver is the only responsible of it.
4. Is drunk driving one of the biggest causes of road accidents in your country?
I think that the first is distracted driving and the third is drunk driving.
5. Is it fair to hold the employer responsible for an accident caused by a drunk employee?
Completely not, drivers are the only ones responsible of that.

Well done answering this lesson’s discussion questions.

See how you can properly write this sentence:

They are not conscious that they can do to theirshelves and others.

They are not conscious about what they can do to themselves and others.

Just continue practicing your writing. You can do it!

1. What do you think about drunk driving? I think it’s very dangerous for the drunk person but also for the rest. This should have bigger consequences for drunken drivers.

2. What are the penalties for drunk driving in your country? The penalties could be from a fine until prison depending on the alcohol in blood and the injuries that are caused.

3. Should the passengers/friends of a drunk driver also be punished? I think it’s a personal decision and passengers and friends could advise you and recommend you not to drive, but ultimately you are an adult and you will do what you consider.

4. Is drunk driving one of the biggest causes of road accidents in your country? I’m not sure about that but I think distractions cause more accidents for now.

5. Is it fair to hold the employer responsible for an accident caused by a drunk employee? No, because the employee is responsible for his or her own actions. The company can advise or recommend employees but not make a decision for them.

Keep going with your writing practice to see more and more improvement in your skills.

For this sentence, you can use ‘not only… but also…”:

I think it’s very dangerous for the drunk person but also for the rest.

I think it’s very dangerous not only for the drunk person but also for others.

Cheers to your next entry!

1. What do you think about drunk driving?
In my opinion it should be prohibited and punished with a high fine

2. What are the penalties for drunk driving in your country?
It depends on the consequences, if you test positive for drugs or alcohol in a police check you must pay a fine and lose 6 points out of 12 of the driving license.
In the event that an accident has occurred and a positive result is given for alcohol or drugs, there is criminal responsibility and depending on the damage caused to third parties, it can end with a prison sentence.

3. Should the passengers/friends of a drunk driver also be punished?
No, the decision to drink is a personal decision, especially if you are of legal age, and you must be responsible for your actions and decisions

4. Is drunk driving one of the biggest causes of road accidents in your country?
Currently, statistics indicate that the greatest cause of accidents is due to distractions such as the use of mobile phones or other vehicle instruments, the second cause speeding and the third is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

5. Is it fair to hold the employer responsible for an accident caused by a drunk employee?
Absolutely not. As I have indicated in a previous answer, the decision to drink and what to drink is a personal decision and one must assume the consequences of their decisions.

You have written very good answers to this lesson’s discussion questions.

Look at how you can write this sentence a bit better:

In the event that an accident has occurred and a positive result is given for alcohol or drugs, there is criminal responsibility and depending on the damage caused to third parties, it can end with a prison sentence.

In the event that an accident has occurred and the driver tested positive for alcohol or drugs, they have criminal liability and depending on the damages caused to the other party, it can end with a prison sentence.

Well done continuing with your writing practice.

1. It is not necessary, there are other means to get home subway, uber, Cabify, taxi …
2. I don´t know, but I imagine a good taxes and if you are responsible of an accident with damage to other people, maybe you get in prison.
3. No, in my opinion it´s your responsability.
4. I don´t know, I don’t know, maybe the speed limit was exceeded too.
5. No, as I said before, I believe that the responsibility is of each one, you must know where your limit is.

Good going with your writing practice. Keep it up!

Here is a better way for you to express this answer:

I don´t know, but I imagine a good taxes and if you are responsible of an accident with damage to other people, maybe you get in prison.

I don´t know, but I imagine you’d be penalize with large fines and if you are responsible for an accident involving damages on other people, maybe you could go to prison.

Looking to forward to more entries from you!

Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think about drunk driving?
– I think it is wrong because you can cause accidents, both to yourself and to others
2. What are the penalties for drunk driving in your country?
– You have a penaltie of 500 euros y 4 point.
3. Should the passengers/friends of a drunk driver also be punished?
– I think that NO.
4. Is drunk driving one of the biggest causes of road accidents in your country?
– Yes
5. Is it fair to hold the employer responsible for an accident caused by a drunk employee?

Great work practicing your skills. Remember to always include more details in your answers so you can practice expressing yourself better through writing.

Take a look at a better way to express this one:

You have a penaltie of 500 euros y 4 point.

You get a penalty of 500 euros and four points gets deducted from your license.

Keep going with this exercise to see your skills improve more and more!

Leave a Reply

Only registered students can submit comments.