Nursing Politics: Letter to the Legislator
Senator Edwards,
Baltimore, Maryland.
Dear Senator Edwards,
My name is (). I am a student nurse at the University of (). My main intention for writing this letter is for the request for your unwavering support for the recently proposed bill SB 312 (Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders Act of 2017). Precisely, this bill mainly targets to increase the penalty paid by the drunk and drugged drivers who repeatedly commits this offense that results in invaluable losses (http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=SB0312&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS). I feel obliged, as a concerned member and health care professional, to seek for your support because the current situation in this state of Maryland would change for the better from such a proposition if it becomes law. Such is the case given that this legislation will result in holding accountable perpetrators of this offense for their mistakes. Based on this possibility, I am a strong believer that passing this bill will significantly lead to a reduction of instances of drunk and drugged driving. That is the case because of the fear of paying the price of heavy penalties. As such, on this platform, I seek to build a case on why pledging your support for this bill will be to the right and genuine reasons.
Primarily, the loss of many lives due to drunk and drugged driving informs mainly my position on this issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017) close to 10,000 persons lost their lives in the year 2014 due to impaired driving by drivers that were under the influence of alcohol and other drugs (https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html). Moreover, another local report of mortality rates due to drunk and drugged driving within the state of Maryland further confirmed that 442 people lost their lives in the year 2014 (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/commuting/bs-md-traffic-fatalities-20150324-story.html). Such statistics are worrying, and one cannot take them for granted. Instead, they demonstrate the dire need for a law that will help regulate instances of drunk and drugged driving.
Besides, the cost burden placed on the society by drunk driving is another reason why passing this bill to become law is timely and necessary. Recent statistics have linked drunk driving with an enormous financial burden on the societies where they occur. For instance, in the approximately 25 billion US dollars is the price to pay for damages to properties due to road accidents caused by alcohol drinking. A further 19 billion US dollars is also the cost spent by the government for the repair of damaged properties (http://www.nhtsa.gov/Impaired). Such an amount is high and if incurred by the state of Maryland due to this vice would be detrimental to its developmental progress. Clearly, in the absence of strict laws like the one on the proposition in this bill, such an eventuality is inevitable. Thus, making your support very essential for the prevention of this harsh effect.
In closure, based on the highlighted challenges, it is beyond doubt that the issue of drunk and drugged driving is a significant threat to the wellbeing of the people in the state of Maryland and necessitates a quick address. As such, my plea coupled with the interest of these people at heart is that you find it fit to back this bill (Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders Act of 2017) when tabled for hearing. Kindly, contact me if you have questions or want clarifications about this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
Name,
Student Nurse, BSN
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Impaired Driving: Get the Facts | Motor Vehicle Safety | CDC Injury Center. Cdc.gov. Retrieved 28 April 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html
General Assembly of Maryland. (2017). GAM-SB0312 Summary 2017 Regular Session. Mgaleg.maryland.gov. Retrieved 28 April 2017, from http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=SB0312&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS
NHTSA. (2014). Drunk Driving. NHTSA. Retrieved 28 April 2017, from http://www.nhtsa.gov/Impaired
Rector, K. (2015). Maryland traffic fatalities hit 66-year low. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved from http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/commuting/bs-md-traffic-fatalities-20150324-story.html
