Lawmakers Push for Tougher DUI Law

October 6, 2009

Sacramento - Lawmakers are proposing a bill that will require DUI offenders to install their cars with an ignition interlock device which will prevent the engine from starting if it detects that the blood alcohol level in a person’s breath exceeds the 0.08 percent limit.

If the governor signs the bill into law, four counties including Los Angeles, Sacramento, Alameda, and Tulare will set up a pilot program that requires people convicted of driving under the influence to install the alcohol-detecting device.

Car service provider Econo Lube 'N Tune said they install at least one interlock device every week.

Meanwhile, Matthias Mendezona, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving said the proposed law can “drastically reduce the fatality and accident rate in the state.”

According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,400 people died in California due to car accidents last year, with 30 percent of the victims involved in alcohol-related crashes.

In response to some critics, Mendezona said the “bill does not take away the liberty of a person to drive anywhere he or she wants as it only prevents reckless drunk drivers from injuring others.”

Under the current law, the installation of the interlock device is not mandatory for DUI offenders.