Interesting Letter to the Editor: Run from the Police and Give Up Your License

The Minneapolis Tribune ran an interesting letter to the editor today:

VEHICLE SAFETY Those who flee the law should lose their license

Anyone who flees police in a motor vehicle should automatically lose their drivers license for life and should be charged with attempted murder. It should be a special law with mandatory and immediate jail time.

The Minnesota Drivers Instruction Manual should have a special section regarding the law, and the written exam should have several questions regarding it. We should have signs warning motorists of the law when they enter the state on freeways, and car-rental agencies should be forced to apprise customers of it. The law should be taught in grade school.

JOHN CRIVITS, ST. PAUL

This letter deserves some discussion. We have looked at the issues that the letter touches on in the past:

Minneapolis Tribune Editorial On The Fong Lee Case Is Right On, Mike Bryant | December 15, 2010 7:53 PM

The Punishment For Distracted Driver Caused Deaths, Mike Bryant | January 31, 2010 2:29 PM

The Issues With First Time DUI’s (update) , Mike Bryant | March 12, 2010 9:51 AM

Should there be an additional civil (drivers license) penalty for fleeing? It should work as a deterrent, but it is possible that if the penalty is too high it might make for a increased problem if the person decides they should never give up.

The idea of automatic attempted murder is understandable and actually makes more sense than some of the logic behind early penalties for a DUI. It is far more likely that a police chase will immediately endanger more people.

I would consider that a dumb move by a teenager might not include a life long penalty, but you would have to admit that if there was the increased education everyone should know better.

If nothing else it’s another idea that is worth looking at and discussing.