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Kentucky lawmaker wants to change DUI laws

On Behalf of | Nov 27, 2014 | Uncategorized

Drunk driving is called the single most preventable crime. The person has to willingly drink alcohol and willingly get behind the wheel of a vehicle. One lawmaker is Kentucky is trying to change the drunk driving laws in the state. He wants to install interlock devices on the vehicles that people who have been convicted of drunk driving will operate. This announcement comes on the heels of a drunk driving accident that hurt two children and their pregnant mother.

In that case, the man has been arrested for drunk driving before. In fact, the arrest connected with this accident was his fifth since 1996. Every arrest prior to the most recent has resulted in a conviction. That isn’t unusual in the area since one Jefferson County prosecutor claims a 92-percent conviction rate. The problem as it stands — at least in the eyes of the county attorney — is that after each conviction, the person does his or her sentence and then gets back to driving drunk.

Programs aimed at reducing the number of repeat offenders are in place; however, the director of one such program says that it is impossible to stop repeat offenses at a local level. He hopes that the state laws will change.

As it stands, the consequences for drunk driving can include fines, license suspension, incarceration, probation and having to complete certain programs. Even without ignition interlock device laws, those consequences can negatively affect someone convicted of drunk driving. For those who are facing charges, knowing the options for defense might help them to decide how to answer to the charges.

Source: WLKY, “Drunken driving crash renews support to crackdown on repeat offenders” Jennifer Baileys, Nov. 18, 2014