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Published April 13, 2010, 09:00 AM

Minnesota lawmakers look into "ignition lock device" for DWI offenders

(WDAY TV) - The penalties could soon be getting tougher for people caught drinking and driving in Minnesota. Lawmakers are looking at a proposal that would require anyone convicted of DWI to have an "ignition lock device" installed in their car. The device requires you to breathe into a breathalyzer before you can start your car, but will it deter drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel?

By: Todd Kurtz, WDAY

  • DUI legislation
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    The penalties could soon be getting tougher for people caught drinking and driving in Minnesota.

Authorities say the worst part about drinking and driving is it can turn the most average, polite decent people into an extremely dangerous driver. They say most people arrested for DWI's are people who make one bad decision go through the system and learn from it, but too often they see repeat offenders.

"The ignition interlock is the logical next step the technology is there."

They say it's in the stats. More people are killed in drinking and driving accidents than homicides. In Minnesota, 1 in 8 drivers have a DWI and there are 35 to 40,000 DUI arrests made each year.

"Until we're able to drive that fatality rate as far as alcohol related crashes down to zero, we've all got a lot more work to do."

North Dakota actually has the ignition lock law for repeat offenders. The judge here at Fargo's municipal court says it is a good tool but the problem is too many judges across the state are handing out a mandatory minimum for a DUI offense."

"You have judges who treat it like a traffic violation in terms of the sentencing authority they have. And judges who treat it as seriously as it is. We don't have any uniformity not only in North Dakota, but in this country. They keep on passing laws and they don't use the laws that are on the books that are really good laws."

With all of the DWI related deaths, everyone can agree something has to be done. How and when we get there is still up for debate. The House and Senate "ignition lock device bills" are making their way through committees right now. Neither has made it to the floor.

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