Tougher penalties for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are being pushed by state Rep. Norma Smith of Clinton.
And Island County Sheriff Mark Brown is fully in favor.
“It’s a problem that won’t go away,” Brown said. “It’s always there, and it needs to be addressed.”
Smith, a 10th Legislative District Republican, introduced two pieces of legislation this week to strengthen the DUI laws. The state Legislature is currently in session in Olympia.
“Public safety is at the heart of all we do as legislators, and it’s about time we start taking this issue seriously and get drunk drivers off the road,” Smith said.
House Bill 2027, aimed at repeat offenders, would make a third DUI conviction within seven years a class C felony. Current law requires four or more convictions within 10 years to reach felony status.
A class C felony, the low end of the felony range, would require a maximum prison sentence of five years and a maximum fine of $5,000.
House Bill 2028 is aimed at vehicular homicide and vehicular assault. It would add an additional four years to the standard sentence range for vehicular homicide committed while under the influence. Current law adds two years.
“Driving under the influence continues to be one of the greatest and most persistent threats in our country,” Smith said. “We need to send a clear message to those continually making poor choices that endanger innocent people.”
She said that during the recent Super Bowl weekend between midnight and early morning, Washington State Patrol troopers made 125 DUI arrests statewide.
“DUI-related crashes cost our society millions of dollars annually,” Smith said. “But that’s nothing compared to the grief so many families have suffered because of someone’s choice to drink and drive.”
Brown said reducing DUIs continues to be emphasized by the Island County Sheriff’s Office, along with a focus on seatbelt use, road rage and speed.
He said traffic complaints remain the number one source of 911 calls in the county, despite an emphasis on the problem by the sheriff and Island County’s Washington State Patrol contingent.
Brown said emphasis patrols have contributed heavily to reduced traffic fatalities in the county in the past three years.
In 2006, there were 15 traffic deaths, “one of the highest years on record,” he said.
In 2007 there were six, and in 2008 there were three, Brown said. He was uncertain how many of the fatalities were DUI-related.
But Brown is squarely behind Smith’s efforts to strengthen DUI laws.
“We need to take a harsher look at this,” he said. “Alcohol is the kind of drug we more or less condone, failing to realize it’s equally as addictive as illegal drugs and can destroy lives.”
He said tougher laws may push more people to seek help.
“My fear is that in tough budget times, we may look at traffic emphasis as not necessary,” Brown said. “But we have to look at the lives being saved by proactive measures.”
But despite fiscal woes, the campaign to reduce DUIs “is still a priority and will remain a priority,” he said. “We can’t afford to lighten up.”
Smith said her two bills have bipartisan support, and have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
“It’s one thing to talk about the adequacy or inadequacy of our laws,” she said. “It’s an entirely different thing to see the real-life consequences resulting from tragic choices.”
