February 8, 2011

This op/ed originally appeared in the Richmond Free Press

One of the greatest horrors of drunk driving is that those victimized are often innocent. They are drivers or passengers in another car or pedestrians or by-standers on the streets. Unfortunately, the perpetrator, the individual driving drunk, puts many other people in danger, not just himself. Moreover, the rates of drunk driving accidents continue to remain high. In the last year, Virginia had 243 fatalities as a result of DUIs (driving under the influence). Virtually a third of traffic fatalities are DUI related.

With these kinds of figures, we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to keep drunk drivers off our roads.

This year I have introduced interlock legislation. An interlock is a device, installed on the dashboard of a car, where the driver must breathe into it for the car to start. If the driver’s blood concentration shows him or her to be intoxicated, the vehicle will not start. In addition, while driving, at random times, the driver will also have to breathe into the interlock. Should the driver fail the test at that time, lights will flash or the horn will honk until the ignition is turned off. The car will not just come to a stop because that could, obviously, create dangerous traffic problems.

We have had an interlock laws that have required use of an interlock after a second DUI offense. My legislation changes it to a first offense. This is important because one DUI accident is one too many. Studies have shown that the use of interlocks can lead to a reduction of 45-90% in the rate of repeat drunk driving offenses. Why wait until the second offense? If we can catch persons before they become repeat offenders, perhaps they are more likely to get the help they need. Certainly, it means they are less likely to be on the roads intoxicated, endangering the people around them.

While I am a strong believer in second chances, rehabilitation and redemption, none of these can be at the expense of innocent people. When a DUI offender has shown, over time, that he will no longer use alcohol near a vehicle, I will be the first to offer him opportunities. But, in the meantime, a drunk driver is a public safety menace, a danger to all who encounter him or her and we must do everything in our power to ensure that person is not in a position to harm anyone. When it comes to public safety, we cannot and must not, take chances.