WILLIAMS EMBRACES .08 DUI LAW

HARRISBURG, July 30, 2003 - - Senator Connie Williams (D-Montgomery/Delaware) Monday embraced the Senate approved landmark drunk-driving legislation that would lower Pennsylvania’s blood alcohol limit to 0.08 percent from 0.10 percent and would require repeat offenders to have ignition interlock devices installed in their cars for one year.

The devices require repeat offenders to perform breath tests before starting their cars, as well as periodically while they are driving, and trigger a shutdown of the engine if the driver’s blood-alcohol level is too high.

“A drunk driver kills someone every 33 minutes. It is time we send drunk drivers the message that this is not acceptable,” Williams said.

Williams said that it should be noted that Pennsylvania faced an October 1 deadline to lower the legal blood-alcohol limit from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent or risk losing about $11 million in federal highway funds.

Williams has been working for stiffer penalties for years and has sponsored Senate Bill 467, which would increase the penalties for second offenders from a second to first-degree misdemeanor and would make third and subsequent offenses a third-degree felony.

“I believe we do not sufficiently punish repeat offenders, those drivers who continue to drive while drunk. Currently, all repeat offenses are considered misdemeanor offenses,” Williams said. 

Each year, Williams said, alcohol is involved in nearly 40 percent of all traffic-related deaths. A study of 15 states with .08 blood alcohol laws found an 8 percent reduction in alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

“I am relieved that .08 law has passed the Senate because similar laws in other states have been proven to save the lives of innocent people.”

The bill now goes back to the House for consideration.