Tougher Drunk-Driving Law Proposed
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Breathalyzer Laws
A lawmaker wants to toughen drunk-driver laws.
Getting convicted for drunk driving could force you to deal with a new way of starting your car.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Getting convicted for drunk driving could force you to deal with a new way of starting your car.
Ohio law currently requires ignition interlock breathalyzers to be installed in the cars of people who get two DUIs within six years.
But a lawmaker wants to toughen that rule and require it for first-time offenders, too.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving said it supports the proposal. The group said eight other states have interlock laws, and repeat offenses have dropped 64 percent.
But the American Beverage Institute argued the breathalyzer is fallible and should only be required for repeat offenders and offenders with blood alcohol levels above .15.
“Waiting for the second time is not effective. We’re missing about 14,000 to 16,000 offenders each year in Ohio,“ MADD’s Executive Director Doug Scoles said.
“We do not think it’s appropriate to mandate the technology for somebody who gets caught at .08. We think in that case, a judge should be able to decide whether or not the person who was caught deserves an interlock or not,“ said Sarah Longwell of The American Beverage Institute.
If the breathalyzer detects a blood-alcohol level higher than .02 it will go into a lockout. But installers said things such as cold syrup, mouthwash and even bananas can also trigger a lockout.
MADD eventually wants all cars to come equipped with breathalyzers even if you are not an offender.
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Reader Reactions
I don’t drink alcohol ever… in fact I am a professional race car driver.
Also there’s no P in his name.
The “concentration camps” you’re speaking of are just bureaucratic waste, nothing more. This and the “FEMA coffins” and other crazy conspiracy theories are nothing but that.
Don’t get me wrong. I know driving is a privlidge but don’t you think that the fines that you pay and what you have to go through is enough. I understand there are some people out there that don’t care and are habitual offenders. Have you ever thought about the police that pull people over for no reason though? Look at each situation and decide. It’s just another way for the man to get more $$.....it’s all about the money.
i agree with nbnb… you should see a doctor
dickface: you are crazy. you should see a doctor.
i’ll say it again… they should legalize marijuana, and ban alcohol. You don’t hear about tons of car accidents and whatnot involving marijuana… infact, the only thing the gov’t can come up with against mari j. is it’s a “gateway drug”. Which quite frankly, alcohol is more of a gateway drug and has more adverse effects.
OMG - what is this, our society is all about punishment—and limiting all freedom. Drunk driving used to be .1, now it is .08, restrictions on all fronts. Drivers with no infractions should NOT have to bear the expense and imposition of having a breathilizer in thier car.
just put them in jail for life, it’s attempted muder, no differnt if had a gun, shooting random.
Just because MADD has gone too far in suggesting all cars come equpped with this device doesn’t mean their other idea isn’t a good one. Driving drunk is too serious an offense to let someone do it a second time without taking appropriate measures. Unfortunately taking these people’s licenses away doesn’t do it, because they will just drive without a license. The world is full of fools, some of whom are drunks, and all of whom are drivers.
if you don’t want to be a news story, stay home, wrap your self up in bubble wrap. i’ve had two brothers killed by a drunk driver, the laws that they put in place does nothing for the drunks, or anything else. it just limits the people that follow the law, criminals don’t care. make all the laws you want someone is going to brake it.
drkshdw4u: I just saw that and now I feel dumb. MADD is taking things a little too far. Also NBC4i’s website layout is horrible and I assumed it was part of the other text near the bottom of the article.
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