YOU can make a DIFFERENCE in Kansas!

Tomorrow, March 30th, the Kansas Senate will hear a bill regarding new changes in Kansas DUI laws.  This bill is SB7, or Senate Bill 7.  Whether or not you know it now, whether you speak your opinion or not, YOU will be affected by this vote.  13 states have enacted a requirement for life saving ignition interlock devices on all DUI offenses.  States such as New Mexico and Arizona have seen alcohol related fatalities drop by 36% and 46% respectively.  This would mean a reduction in Alcohol Related Deaths by as many as 71 DEATHS per year in Kansas.  Below is a chart showing from 2005 to 2009 how the alcohol related fatalities in Kansas have continued to increase.  The time is now send these numbers the other way, we need our Senate to require ignition interlock devices on ALL DUI OFFENDERS, including FIRST OFFENDERS.

YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR AND TELL THEM YOU WANT IGNITION INTERLOCKS REQUIRED ON ALL OFFENDERS, INCLUDING FIRST OFFENDERS, JUST AS THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE HOUSE PASSED 122-1 THIS PAST WEEK!  Find your Senator by CLICKING HERE!  A SHORT PARAGRAPH TO YOUR SENATOR MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE, OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE.  If you have any questions how to do this I would be happy to help, please email me for any questions.  Or contact us for more info.

 

Senate Bill 7 is the bill that Senator Owens introduced as a result of his two year DUI Commission.  This commission was comprised of many esteemed individuals from the state of Kansas.  Judges, legislators, drug and alcohol treatment professionals, an attorney, Kansas Highway Patrol, KBI, DUI Victim Center from Wichita, Prosecutors, DMV and the assistant Attorney General to mention a few that come to mind.  This commission worked tirelessly for many collective days of meetings to address issues it felt were imperative to solving the DUI problem in Kansas. 

One of the first topics that they addressed were life saving ignition interlock devices.  The commission as a whole heard testimony from different organizations on ignition interlock devices and their effectiveness at preventing drunk driving fatalities.  The chart below shows the lives saved in New Mexico since their legislature enacted mandatory ignition interlock.  New Mexico requires mandatory ignition interlock on ALL convicted DUI offenders. 

Interlocks have been proven by many different independent research studies, including a recent one by the CDC, or Centers for Disease Control.  They found that ignition interlock devices are 67% effective in reducing drunk driving recidivism.  They are not the only group that supports ignition interlock devices.  Here is a short list of those local and national agencies that have supported the requirement of ignition interlock devices for ALL DUI OFFENDERS.

Proponents:

Kansas DUI Commission (2 years studying Kansas DUI Law)
Kansas House of Representatives (2009, 2010, 2011 vote 122-1)
TIRF (Traffic Injury Research Foundation)
CDC (Centers for Disease Control)
NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
PIRE (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, non-profit publicly funded)
Dr. Richard Roth (Independent DWI/Ignition Interlock Researcher)
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
National Association of Drug Court Professionals
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
GHSA (Governors Highway Safety Association)
The Task Force on Community Preventative Services
13 State Legislatures that have already enacted this legislations.

Opponents:

ABI (Alcohol Beverage Institute)

 

As can be seen in the above graph from Dr. Roth, in these three measurements of drunk driving, as the use of ignition interlock devices increase all three decrease.  Interlocks are an effective tool to prevent future offenses of DUI. 

The opponent to having ignition interlock required for a first offense is ABI, or Alcohol Beverage Institute.  The ABI represent restaurants that serve alcohol, and do not believe in punishing first offenders the same as someone who has had multiple DUI arrests.  The ABI is interested in not punishing people for buying alcohol from their clients.  During testimony earlier this year on Senate Bill 7, their executive director testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Topeka.  She said that she thought interlocks were an effective tool at preventing drinking and driving, just not for first time offenders. 

Unfortunately not all of us have our heads buried in the sand on the issue.  First offenders have driven on average 87 times before they are caught the first time.  This statistic is backed up by the fact that most first offenders become repeat offenders at the same rate as second offenders move on to third.  The following graph shows that first offender re-arrest rates are in line with those of multiple offenders in terms of likelihood to reoffend.  Catching this trend early is better for public safety, and the offender.  Ignition Interlocks give the offender a way to legally drive back and forth to work.  Kansas is a very rural state and many have to drive in order to work, go to school, support their family, pay fines, go to treatment as well as many other important aspects to daily life.  Interlocks also prevent those with an alcohol issue from reoffending or killing someone.  I assure you that if asked many 2nd and subsequent offenders would have much rather had the interlock than to reoffend or injure someone. 

 

Take the time to contact your Senator and let them know that you want them to support life saving ignition interlock devices.  The Senate has studied their effectiveness year after year while preventable Alcohol related deaths pile up in Kansas.  The Senate DUI Commission is complete now and even they recommend ignition interlock for all DUI offenders.  Tell your Senator you want to pass ignition interlock for all offenders in Kansas.

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