Wisconsin’s current state laws concerning the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated are unacceptable. The laughably lax laws concerning OWIs not only reflect poorly on our state, but also endanger the lives of our citizens. Thus, it’s refreshing to see that the state assembly is making at least a slight attempt to improve these laws.

Assembly Bill 283, which amends and alters many aspects of Wisconsin’s drunken driving laws, passed in the state Assembly last week. Among the myriad changes the bill makes, two of the more notable ones are the criminalization of a first time OWI offense if a child 16 or under is involved and requiring the installation of interlock devices in the motor vehicles of repeat offenders.

The Ignition Interlock Device, or IID, is essentially a Breathalyzer attached to the dashboard of a car. In order for the vehicle to start, the Breathalyzer must be taken. If the blood alcohol level is above the programmed limit, the device interrupts the car’s starter circuit. Furthermore, the IID will frequently request subsequent tests while the vehicle is operating. If any of these tests fail, the alarm will sound and the horn will honk until the vehicle is stopped.

IIDs are fantastic devices that many other states have had much success with. According to a study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, IIDs decreased repeat arrests by more than 65 percent when compared to the control groups. The studies were conducted in states all across the U.S., with more than 31 different control/experimental group pairings selected for the final analysis.

The IID aspect of Bill 283 is where the bill really shines. Under the new law IIDs would be required in all motor vehicles operated by a person who has either committed a first-time offense with a blood alcohol level of .15 or greater or for any second-time offense. The bill also increases the severity of the penalties for tampering with an IID or not complying with regulations.

By making IIDs mandatory for these situations, the bill will dramatically decrease the percentage of repeat drunken drivers. The only major downfall of IIDs is they fail to combat the most dangerous type of drunken driver: the first-time offender. Installing an IID in every car, despite being highly impractical, would come much closer to total OWI prevention. Unfortunately, both the financial investment and workforce necessary for such a task would render the result almost irrelevant.

However, the increased penalties involving drunken driving that would be added as a part of the bill could help to lessen first-time offenses. The idea behind this thinking is that people will realize the state no longer tolerates drunken driving, so attempting to get away with it will be more of a risk. Sadly, intoxicated people are hardly rational.

Another noteworthy aspect of the bill is the movement toward getting people convicted of drunken driving the necessary help. The attitude our society has most commonly adopted in relation to crime is centered on the inaccurate notion that prisons both impede crime and convert criminals into law-abiding citizens. Rehabilitation is almost non-existent within our current system. Therefore, locking up someone who was convicted for drunken driving without offering them any form of counseling or rehabilitation is obscene.

Bill 283 responds to this problem through cooperative work with the Safe Streets program. The Safe Streets program works with convicted criminals in an attempt to rehabilitate them, reintegrate them into society and most importantly, helping to prevent relapse. Bill 283, working in conjunction with this program, would allow judges to offer reduced sentences for drunken driving if the person in question is willing to work in conjunction with the Safe Streets or other rehab programs.

Between the increase in penalties for OWIs, the improved use of IIDs, and the move towards rehabilitation of OWI offenders, Assembly Bill 283 undoubtedly begins to improve Wisconsin’s drunken driving laws. Many critics argue the bill does not make drastic enough changes to the Wisconsin law, while others doubt the moral reasoning behind the changes altogether. Yet, the most important aspect of the bill is that it marks what will hopefully be the end of indifference towards drunken driving in Wisconsin.

Dan Rose ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in journalism.