This is ludicrous

So where we stand now a bartender may be liable for serving alcohol to someone later involved in an accident. And now the Tennessee Supreme Court says that selling gasoline to a drunk driver exposes vendors to risk. (Knoxville News Sentinel, reg. req.) I realize that there was more to this case than simply selling gasoline, as the convenience store had already refused to sell alcohol to the individuals due to obvious impairment. However, the foot is in the door. What restraints are there to the next case where just gasoline is involved? If past history is any indication... none. If you are talking to a driver on a cell phone, and that driver is involved in an accident, are you liable for being a distraction, and a cause of the accident? How about the manufacturer of the cell phone, for enabling this dangerous behavior? Should all auto dealers (and individuals!!) refrain from selling vehicles to persons who they know have previously driven drunk? If they've done it twice, they've established a petternpattern of drunken driving. General Motors, financially troubled though they are at present, still represent deep pockets, and an inviting target. Technorati : Law, Legal, Liability, News, Tennessee, Tennessee Supreme Court