Higher penalties ahead for ‘super drunk' drivers starting Oct. 31
Halloween night kicks off new, possibly harsher, punishments for drunk drivers.
At midnight on Sunday, the new “super drunk” law will start, increasing punishments and fines for first-time offenders who are caught driving with a blood alcohol content over .17, or “super drunk” drivers.
More than one-third of the people arrested by Mount Pleasant Police for the first time are driving with a BAC over .17, said MPPD Public Information Officer Jeff Browne.
“The hope is that the stiffer penalties will cut the amount of drunk driving in the area,” Browne said. “But we’ll see if it does.”
One new punishment is an increase in jail time from 93 days to 180 days. The fines will increase to a range of $200 to $700 and one year of mandatory treatment for alcohol after the arrest.
For the first 45 days after the arrest, the driver will lose the ability to drive. After 45 days, they will have to install an in-car breathalyzer, which will require them to prove they are sober before their car will start.
“There is no one thing that is going to end drunk driving on our roadways, this new law is just another tool for us to use,” said Anne Readett, spokeswoman for the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.
The new ignition breathalyzer is used in some other states. There has been very little research done to see if the breathalyzer will help to cut down on drunk driving, but early information shows it does help, Readett said.
Mount Pleasant Police is preparing for the weekend and the introduction of the new law.
“Nothing is actually going to change as far as how we patrol,” Browne said. “The changes are all in the fines and other punishments.”
Some students support the new law as well.
“I think the law will do some good,” said Grandville senior Andrew Verburg. “Maybe some harsher punishments will convince people that it’s a bad idea.”
Verburg said the current punishments do not deter people enough because people are less worried about fines. He said with the new punishments people may begin to think twice.
“I’ve had friends who got caught drinking and driving, and yeah it stopped them for a while,” Verburg said. “I don’t think the thought of getting caught stops most people.”
