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  • WI:  MADD wants stricter first offense OWI laws with incentive for drivers

WI:  MADD wants stricter first offense OWI laws with incentive for drivers

WI:  MADD wants stricter first offense OWI laws with incentive for drivers

WTMJ-TV 4

By Coreen Zell, Photojournalist Andrew Triplett

November 28, 2018

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is pushing to strengthen a Wisconsin law for first time OWI offenders.

The stricter punishment could benefit all drivers in more ways than one.  MAAD said 40% of drivers who get an OWI in Wisconsin become repeat offenders.  Frank Harris, the Director of State Government Affairs for MADD, is working to change the statistic.

“What Wisconsin is doing right now relating to drunk driving is simply not working,” said Frank Harris.

The Milwaukee native is in town from Washington D.C. talking with lawmakers about making changes to ignition legislation in his home state.  Ignition interlocks are the devices used to measure your blood alcohol level when you get in the car.  Since 2009, Wisconsin law requires first-time offenders whose blood alcohol level was about .15 to use interlocks.

“Since that law has passed ignition interlocks they’ve stopped hundreds of thousands of attempts here in Wisconsin to drive drunk,” said Harris.

Harris said interlocks are often negotiable in Wisconsin courtrooms.

“Even if you’re at a .15 a defense attorney will try to work with prosecutors to say OK, my client will plead guilty if you wave that BAC that .17 to a .13 so my client doesn’t have to use an interlock,” said Harris.

MADD wants Wisconsin to mimic the law in 32 other states requiring all first time drunk drivers use interlocks.  For example, last year in Illinois interlocks stopped 6,361 drunk driving attempts.

In Minnesota the devices stopped 7,655 attempts. Across the country, interlocks put the breaks on 354,372 drunk driving attempts.

“MADD’s trying to get creative with pushing legislation that deals with all drunk drivers,” said Harris.

MADD’s idea is to make first time offenders who didn’t hurt or kill someone use an interlock device for six months.  The driver would be rewarded if they pass.

“MADD is willing to put on the table with lawmakers today allowing people to have their OWI records sealed on a first offense providing they use an interlock and other court conditions like an assessment,” said Harris.

MADD said 67 percent of convicted drunk drivers using interlocks are less likely to become offenders.

“The devices are already in use.  We just need to utilize them for all drunk drivers,” said Harris.

MADD said talk to your lawmakers if you want to see this idea move forward.