Saturday, March 31, 2012

Drive-Thru Liquor Stores. Convenience or Promoting Drinking & Driving

During a recent trip to my local Wal-Mart I was cutting through the adjacent strip mall which contains a Kroger, Papa Murphys Pizza, Library and few other businesses. The business located on the far end happens to be a liquor store. It is not unusual to pass by that particular liquor store and see the delivery trucks parked out front for restocking the shelves.
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This particular day I happened to notice some construction going on at the side of the building. After closer inspection I noticed a sign. Amidst the dust and dirt and construction equipment the sign that I saw read, “DRIVE-THRU COMING SOON!”.
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Before I go any further, I would like to preface this blog entry by saying that I am in no way against the sale or consumption of alcohol or discriminatory to those who consume it. My issue today is centering around the Drive -Thru concept itself in a liquor store.
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I completely understand that with our busy lifestyles nowadays, convenience is a must. I’m not so sure that I can be sold on the convenience aspect of purchasing alcoholic beverages. Although drinking and driving related accidents and fatalities in Kentucky have managed to decline in the past years, I cannot help but imagine how many more lives could be saved if the drive-thru liquor store was outlawed.
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After much research I found that I am not so off base in my thinking regarding the outlaw of the drive-thru liquor store. It seems that there are a handful of states across the country that have laws prohibiting drive-thru liquor stores. I have to stand firm in my belief that the drive-thru liquor store contributes as much to drinking and driving as it does to it’s convenience factor of shopping in general. When the convenience factor is second to life itself, then something is out of whack.

Below are some statistics.  I KNOW we can do better.  It's a matter of life and death.


The KSP reports that preliminary 2011 traffic fatality numbers indicate there were 720 deaths on Kentucky roadways last year. Of those, 49 percent were not wearing a seat belt and 16 percent were in alcohol-related accidents.

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