Super Drunk and Drive

Michigan could soon become the 36th state to enact "super drunk and drive" legislation.  Gov. Jennifer Granholm is working with the legislature ...

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Michigan could soon become the 36th state to enact "super drunk and drive" legislation.  Gov. Jennifer Granholm is working with the legislature on the details of a statute that would put stricter penalties on "super drunk" drivers, those whose blood-alcohol level is far above the legal limit.

The legislation seems a smart "power-law" approach (I'll let Malcom Gladwell explain) to weed out problem drunk drivers.

Of course, such action could implicitly condone "normal" drunk driving -- "Not Super Drunk? Not a problem! Welcome to Michigan!" -- but as long as regular drunk drivers face appropriate penalties as well, this should not perversely incentivize slightly-less-inebriated cruisin'. And we must remember that there is a social cost in teetotaling killjoyism as well.

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Will Wilson is a former GOVERNING correspondent.
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