to ask why drunk driving sentencing depends on whether or not someone got hurt/killed.

[ICBINEG]

So I stagger out of the pub utterly pissed and set off to drive home.

Meanwhile Bob Jones is walking home from work.

As our paths intersect I kill Bob through dangerous driving.

I get 10 years in jail.

But what if Bob bumps into Bill on his way out of the office and sets off 5 mins later.

Now Bob and I fail to cross paths and Bob lives!

I am caught by the police and spectacularly fail a breath test.

I get 6 months in jail.

AIBU to expect that given my actions were identical in both cases, I should be just as culpable in both cases, and should in fact receive the same sentence?

Gah practicalities...

I would suggest a ramping up over say 3 years from 6 months to 5 years.

I think this would give people the chance to adust their behaviour accordingly...