Ravenwood - 10/01/03 06:00 AM
The AP reports that New Jersey is cracking down on drowsy drivers.
As if staying alive were not enough of an incentive, motorists in New Jersey have another reason to make sure they are well-rested when they get behind the wheel -- a first-in-the-nation law against driving while drowsy.I guess the laws against improper driving, reckless driving, vehicular manslaughter, and the numerous traffic violations one might commit while drowsy are not enough for the state of New Jersey.
Actually, this appears to be just another tool for the government to use to harass people who have commited no discernable crime. Imagine pulling through a check point, or being "randomly" stopped and then ticketed because you yawn while the cop is at your window. Just how do they measure drowsiness any way? Is there a machine they use to measure your brain activity? I don't know about you, but I sometimes yawn on my way into work in the morning. Could it be said that even though I just woke up an hour ago, I'm still somewhat drowsy?
New Jersey's new law will do nothing to curb crime, and do everything to harass otherwise law abiding motorists.
I believe the plan is that all drivers will call in as they begin their driving trip to a central hot-line. They will be asked a few questions to establish their alertness and then receive the OK to drive. If traveling more than 1 hour drivers will simply call in every hour for alertness evaluation. This is also an excellent job creation tool for NJ, there are a lot of cars on the road and 1 screener would only be able to handle about 20 per hour.
Posted by: Michael at October 1, 2003 9:23 AM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014
