WILLIAMS PLEASED DUI OFFENDERS WILL BE HELD MORE ACCOUNTABLE

HARRISBURG, September 26, 2003-- Senator Connie Williams (D-Montgomery/Delaware) said she is pleased that drunk drivers will be held more accountable under legislation that passed the Senate yesterday lowering Pennsylvania’s blood alcohol limit from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent.

Williams said the bill makes it tougher for DUI offenders by developing a tiered system with stiffer penalties imposed depending on the amount of alcohol consumed. Repeat offenders would also face tougher penalties.

Under the measure, DUI offenders would be categorized as having “general impairment” (0.08 to 0.09 BAC), a “high rate” impairment (0.10 to 0.15 BAC) or the “highest rate” of impairment (0.16 and above BAC).

“Over the past five years, the nation has seen an 11 percent decrease in drunk driving fatalities, while Pennsylvania has seen a five percent increase,” Williams said. “The numbers show Pennsylvania is not doing enough to protect its citizens from drunk drivers. This bill is long overdue.” 

Williams said she is also pleased the measure would require ignition interlock devices to be installed in repeat offenders’ cars.

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

“Statistics show that one-third of drunk driving arrests involve repeat offenders,” Williams said. “Our current laws are not working to keep the drunks off the road. The ignition interlock devices should help greatly in that effort.”

Williams said that it should be noted that Pennsylvania faces an October 1 deadline to lower the legal blood-alcohol limit from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent or risks losing $11.8 million in federal highway funds.

A similar bill passed the Senate in July. Since then the General Assembly has been working to improve certain aspects of the measure.

Williams has been working for years to lower the blood alcohol level and implement harsher penalties for repeat offenders.

Each year, Williams added, 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.

“Yes, getting this law passed quickly is important for Pennsylvania to receive federal funding,” Williams said. “But it is more critical for us to pass this law so we can save lives.

“I have quoted some statistics, but as we all know, statistics are really lives destroyed and loved ones lost.”

The bill now goes to the House for consideration.