The federal government must take action to impose tougher penalties on first-time drunk drivers. To better clarify the dangers of drunk driving, one year of imprisonment should be imposed nationwide for first-time offenders. The government must show zero tolerance on this issue. It is unfortunate to constantly hear on the news how many cases of drunk drivers tragically end people's lives. How long should U.S. residents be put in danger by reckless drivers? At this point, this should not be a topic of discussion between the state and federal government; it is necessary that they intervene and propose new laws to penalize these criminals. According to the Department of Transportation, every 20 minutes in the state of Texas alone, someone is injured or killed by a drunk driver. In 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there were 10,322 deaths caused by drunk drivers, accounting for more than 31% of all crashes that year (NHTSA.gov). They calculate that six major holidays are when more casualties are reported due to drunk driving. These holidays include: Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, Memorial Day and July 4th. The sanctions currently imposed are not severe enough. The number of fatal accidents is high. drivers don't think twice before driving drunk. In fact, the number of alcohol-related accidents has increased over the past 40 years. By enforcing stricter laws on this issue, it can help alert the nation to the importance of refraining from drunk driving. People are aware of the penalty for committing this crime, but they still choose to commit it in the middle of paper... people are impaired. In conclusion, the supporting evidence shows why the federal government should enforce tougher laws against DWI offenders by imprisoning them on their first offense. Previous studies show that current laws have no effect on large numbers of repeat offenders. The number of annual deaths caused by such reckless drivers should not be tolerated. Too few drivers are condemned for their mistakes; fees and license suspension are no longer enough. The government must understand that drunk drivers pose a risk to society and change the law. Works Cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. np, nd Web. April 28, 2014. Texas Department of Transportation. np, nd Web. April 28, 2014.UC Health. University of California, January 16, 2014. Web. May 7, 2014. Wisconsin Department of Transportation. np, nd Web. April 28. 2014.