How to Debate Strict Drunk Driving Laws
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10,839 deaths in 2009 were attributable to alcohol. With such high numbers, drunk driving laws have gotten stricter. The effectiveness of these laws is being constantly debated at all levels of society. Should you find yourself debating either side of the issue, there are effective research and debating tactics you can employ to get your point across in the best manner.
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Instructions
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Familiarize yourself with the laws concerning drunk driving for your state. Know the minimum, maximum and average penalties applied for each conviction, from trial and from plea bargaining. Check with your local district attorney's office for this information.
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Research the laws of other jurisdictions for differences from your local laws. Look for states with stricter laws vs. those with more lenient laws. Familiarize yourself with the two extremes from those states as well. Note the differences for later consultation.
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Contact the state attorney general's office in the states where you found the stricter and more lenient laws by phone. Ask for information concerning drunk driving statistics for their states, including incident rates, prosecution rates and average sentencing according to charge. Note this information alongside the law notes for the states you wrote down earlier.
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Use your notes to determine if there is a correlation between strict laws and a lower incidence of drunk driving. Review your research on the number of DUIs, the number of prosecutions, the success rate of the prosecutions and the sentences handed down by the courts for successful prosecutions. Answer the question of whether the information you gathered actually show stricter laws leading to a lower incidence of drunk driving.
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Make an argument both for and against strict drunk driving laws. Regardless of which side of the debate you intend to argue, knowing both sides will better prepare you for presenting your point of view. Develop as many counterarguments to the points you make for each side of the debate as you can and write them down.
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Develop answers to the counterarguments you listed. Make sure you have at least one answer prepared for each.
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Memorize your statistics and make certain you have a firm grasp of the arguments and counterarguments for both sides of the issue.
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Choose your debating position and sift through your arguments, choosing those that most strongly support your position. Present these strongest arguments first, setting the tone for your side of the issue and taking control over the debate from the beginning.
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Use the prepared counterarguments to against your opponent's stated position. Always remain factual, using the memorized statistics to support your position and to counter his. Recap your main points while countering your opponent's to keep control of the debate. Steer the subject down those subject lines that support your position.
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End your debate on a strong note. Condense your best arguments into a single concluding statement, summarizing your position while highlighting your opponent's weakest arguments.
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