New Mexico Anti-Drunk Driving Law Is Insane

I can't believe this is a real thing.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has held that gas stations can be held liable for selling gas to drunk drivers. Now, let's start with the fact that I don't want drunk drivers on the streets any more than you do, but to put that pressure on a clerk at a mini-mart is insane.

Imagine the typical person in a gas-and-go type situation, especially late at night. They aren't qualified to judge who's drunk. Here's another one: if the drunk is paying at the pump, does the clerk have a responsibility to go out there, check and then stop the process? This is all absolutely ridiculous.

Get our free mobile app

Let's get more ridiculous. This ruling says that vendors of "any item" that enables drunk driving may be held liable. Think about this: if you sell a pair of windshield wipers to a drunk guy and he gets in a wreck, you could get sued. Exactly when did we all get hired to babysit all the drunks out there? Imagine if you thought you were a good guy and changed a tire for someone you didn't know was drunk?

The ruling basically said that selling someone gas is just like giving them keys to a car, and I'm calling BS on this. Attendants should be good humans and call the authorities when they see something shaky, but I don't see how a guy who is mopping up the back of the store or attending to another customer has any responsibility for who is out using the pumps.

New Mexico needs to stick with arresting drunk drivers and not bothering people who thought their only job was selling pork rinds and cleaning up.