The legal system
Another terrible accident on New Zealand roads by a driver breaching their licence, also mostly speeding and over the alcohol limit. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4939357/Fatal-crash-car-had-too-many-passengers
There was a chance the driver would face criminal charges.
On the face of this, no problems with our legal system right? My question is why is every other person in that car considered a 'innocent victim' when the car crashes and people die? The media and the family of the victim often blame the driver and the courts blame the driver, but what about personal responsibility?
Sure if they crash and kill someone in another car or a pedestrian then that's a different matter (or if the passenger is a child). But often in these situations these people chose to get into a car that is overloaded, chose to drive with someone who isn't licenced to drive them, chose to drive with someone who'd been drinking (in one case recently convinced the driver they should drive cos they were 'the least drunk'). How are these people innocent victims, why is there considered to be nothing wrong with making these choices?
Disclaimer: This may appear likely I want the driver to walk away scot free which is definitely not the case. They should face criminal charges. I just don't think the passengers in a lot of cases are 'innocent'.
There was a chance the driver would face criminal charges.
On the face of this, no problems with our legal system right? My question is why is every other person in that car considered a 'innocent victim' when the car crashes and people die? The media and the family of the victim often blame the driver and the courts blame the driver, but what about personal responsibility?
Sure if they crash and kill someone in another car or a pedestrian then that's a different matter (or if the passenger is a child). But often in these situations these people chose to get into a car that is overloaded, chose to drive with someone who isn't licenced to drive them, chose to drive with someone who'd been drinking (in one case recently convinced the driver they should drive cos they were 'the least drunk'). How are these people innocent victims, why is there considered to be nothing wrong with making these choices?
Disclaimer: This may appear likely I want the driver to walk away scot free which is definitely not the case. They should face criminal charges. I just don't think the passengers in a lot of cases are 'innocent'.