The questions have been circling for months now. What are we going to do about drunk drivers in Washington State? Each drunk driver that gets behind the wheel is one too many and each accident or fatality that comes as a result is one too many. News of drunk driving accidents seems to be multiplying lately and lawmakers are finally saying “enough is enough.”
Governor Jay Inslee is working with a group of bipartisan lawmakers to change the way drunk drivers are punished in the state. Adjustments would include arrest on the first offense of impaired driving laws. If a driver is found to be under the influence a second time, they would face mandatory jail time if they fail to enroll in a sobriety program following a second offense. A third conviction would result in the driver being cut off from purchasing alcohol for ten years, as well as 364 days behind bars.
Governor Inslee says that the costs surrounding the changes and implementation will be substantial, but looking at recent cases, any dollar amount seems rather unimportant. These adjustments could save hundreds of lives, or they could save one. Regardless, it is clear that this state is due for change surrounding drunk driving laws and we may finally be seeing some.