The issue :DUI laws
Our opinion: Laws should be tightened to make roads safer
If Oklahomans really want to make their roadways safer, then they should support strengthening laws dealing with drunk drivers.
There are too many drunk drivers on the roads today, because loopholes in current laws make it far too easy for these people to continue driving. Stronger legislation is being promoted which would tighten up laws and help keep those off the roadways who habitually and continually break the laws.
State Rep. Harold Wright, R-Weatherford, requested a legislative study, conducted by members of the House Judiciary Committee, to build support for legislation increasing the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He thinks by making some simple, common-sense changes to Oklahoma law, lives could be saved.
Angela Marsee is an assistant district attorney for the Second District. According to information provided by Wright’s office, she testified before the committee and urged lawmakers to revise DUI laws, specifically in the area of second and subsequent violations of the DUI laws.
She told lawmakers all prior drunk-driving convictions should be considered at the time of sentencing if officials want to remove dangerous drivers from the road as quickly as possible.
Frequently, we hear law enforcement officers and prosecutors who complain their hands are tied when it comes to prosecuting previously convicted drunk drivers.
Law enforcement officers also are good about setting up DUI check points from time to time, but their resources are limited and that prevents them from being as effective as they want.
State lawmakers have done a good job over the past several years aimed at reducing the blood alcohol limit and making it easier for officers to arrest someone suspected of DUI. Their next step should be passing legislation to tighten up the laws and keep repeat offenders off of the roads.
There are too many horror stories about habitual DUI offenders causing accidents involving fatalities and serious injuries. A way to prevent more of these from occurring is making it much more difficult for those convicted of more than one DUI offense to get behind the wheel.
If those drivers are so insistent they want to continue that type of behavior, then they should face much harsher penalties and pay the consequences. Legislators should make it much easier for law enforcement to do their jobs, and prosecutors, judges and juries to impose sentences on them that will keep them out of vehicles and make our roads much safer.
Lawmakers are urged to allow prosecutors to identify drunk drivers who received deferred sentences as repeat offenders, increasing the penalties facing those individuals.
It’s time legislators take away the technicalities which allow these repeat offenders back on the roads. They will be doing all Oklahomans who use state roadways a huge favor.
