A recently filed measure could help reduce drunk driving convictions and alcohol-related traffic fatalities by requiring that previous DUI or DWI convictions be noted on drivers' licenses.
State Rep. Scott Inman has filed a measure that would require anyone convicted of a DUI or DWI to have a designation placed on their driver's license reflecting that conviction even after the first offense. The designation would remain on the license for up to four years and would only be removed if the person received no additional drunk driving convictions during that time.
"This is a measure that I believe will help reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths by providing information to the drinking establishments that this person has a history of drinking and driving while intoxicated," said Inman, D-Del City. "Hopefully, the establishment will stop serving the customer after a few drinks. It's a way to help the industry police itself and to protect not only its customers, but also the thousands of innocent victims out there who die every year because of drunk drivers."
In 2005, there were 16,885 alcohol-related fatalities, which accounted for 39 percent of the total traffic fatalities for the year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of those 16,885 fatalities, 86 percent were killed in crashes where at least one driver had a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or higher. As of May 2007, all 50 states have adopted .08 as the BAC level to determine whether a person is "legally drunk."In Oklahoma, 283 out of 802 total traffic fatalities were alcohol related in 2005, the highest number of alcohol-related traffic deaths since 1997.
Labels: DUI Convictions, Scott Inman
