Commentary:
OK, DCF Commissioner Susan Hamilton writes (the governor, etc.) that she's really sorry about this, and maybe she actually is. She should be. She's only the head of the state's Dept. of Children and Families, in addition to being a mother herself. And despite the numerous excusing comments attached to the Courant's story (and, also) re this incident, there is NO good excuse for Ms. Hamilton's alleged crime, nor is there for anyone else who drives while impaired.
I happen to reside in Connecticut and assert that this reasonably progressive state still seems a little soft about drunken/drugged driving.
It's important first to say that I greatly appreciate the efforts of the police officers who've (for high-profile example) recently stopped Connecticut officials like Ms. Hamilton, Judge E. Curtissa R. Cofield , and Henry J. Pawlowski Jr. It's good to know that there are some dedicated officers performing an important law-enforcement duty.
According to recent statistics that I've seen, there are U.S. states "worse" than Connecticut when it comes to alcohol-related fatalities. Primarily relying upon MADD's (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) 2008 'annual state progress report' , however, Connecticut ranks 44th out of 50 states, based on percent of total traffic fatalities that involve a drunk driver. CT's percentage was 36.5. The 2007 national average for this statistic was 31.7%. (Note that the neighboring states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island also feature similar (poor) rankings. I.e., a percentage in the upper third of all states.) These statistics of course, don't reflect all reported (including non-fatal) accidents involving at least one impaired driver.
I'll close by moving away from statistics and talking a bit from of personal experience. I regularly drive a Connecticut state highway between two "upscale" suburbs at around 10pm-12 midnight, both weeknights and weekends. (Mostly on the weekends.) I've been traveling this route at these times for about fifteen years. I don't drink and drive. I wish that I could say the same for the weaving and wandering drivers I've observed on this road. They may not all have been impaired, but some had to have been. (FYI: There's a popular restaurant/bar located on a major feeder street for the state road I'm talking about.) My main point is that I've never encountered a police sobriety check point in operation at any time on this state roadway in my years of regularly driving it. I'm familiar with the landscape and I also rarely see police at night on this major road through town. (E.g., a police car visibly monitoring speed or similar.) Out of well over 100 trips per year at nighttime, I might see a police vehicle perhaps five times. (And it's usually driving the other way or something.)
Including the recent rash of high officials getting busted for drunken driving, all of Connecticut needs to get serious about impaired driving and its enforcement. (Perhaps using anticipated federal support/funds.) Also check out the MADD site for a few good ideas.
P.S. At some point I'll talk more about Ms. Hamilton's personal vehicle, a GMC Acadia. I believe that I read that she has a husband and two children. (PLEASE thoroughly read through the MADD site, Ms. Hamilton.) Why does she need a combined 18 m.p.g. SUV? So we'll talk further at some point about why there should be a green or luxury "offset" tax (or fee) on large, "medium"(w
hat?), and, especially;"humongous" SUV's, excepting certain legitimate users such as emergency personnel, large families, construction operations, farmers, etc. The Acadia "crossover" is far from the worst example, but I bet hers carries only one or two people and little cargo the vast majority of the time - like so many others. And this particular Acadia likely goes "off-road" only when a certain driver "has had a few".
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