# DUI Laws--Unconstitutional?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dui-laws-unconstitutional/515590>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 29, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dui-laws-unconstitutional/515590 "2009-10-29T12:32:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dui-laws-unconstitutional/515590/41 "2009-11-01T15:22:26Z")

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The concern isn’t that all laws against drunk driving are unconstitutional - just the particular case raised by **jtgain**. Plus, the fact that drunk driving is a serious issue doesn’t mean it’s immune from basic constitutional principles which restrain the government.

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**Author:** ![Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandwich)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dui-laws-unconstitutional/515590/42 "2009-11-01T15:33:27Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> The concern isn’t that all laws against drunk driving are unconstitutional - just the particular case raised by **jtgain**. Plus, the fact that drunk driving is a serious issue doesn’t mean it’s immune from basic constitutional principles which restrain the government.

On your first point, I think you are naive. But otherwise we appear to be in complete agreement - that a constitution which prevented the enactment and enforcement of reasonable and effective drink driving laws would be flawed.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dui-laws-unconstitutional/515590/43 "2009-11-01T15:41:51Z")

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on the first point - do you see anything in this thread that suggests **jtgain** or anyone else has a problem with the impaired offence? The concern raised and discussed has been the .08 offence.

“reasonable and effective” - that’s the sticking point - what you might find reasonable and effective, another person may not - but I don’t think that means that the constitutional protections are flawed.

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dui-laws-unconstitutional/515590/45 "2013-07-10T11:15:04Z")

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Reported.

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