An Act relating to driving while intoxicated; and providing for an effective date.

Driving while intoxicated is a serious crime; there is no doubt about this. As such, it is important that we treat the commission of DWIs appropriately. This bill ensures that those individuals who are the most egregious offenders will receive punishment commensurate with the severity of their offense. Rather than fining all offenders the same amount regardless of their BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) this bill proposes to increase fines based on the level of BAC. This action is supported by evidence from numerous sources that show the direct relationship between level of intoxication and increased risk of crashes and death:

• Every thirty minutes someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash. Impaired driving is the most frequently committed violent crime in America accounting for approximately 17,000 deaths per year.¹
• Alaskans see the effects of alcohol-induced crashes firsthand with thirty-five deaths due to impaired driving in 2002.²
• Substantial evidence suggests that the most dangerous drivers in terms of crash risk are those individuals who choose to drive with BAC levels in excess of 0.15. In fact, according to a study cited by the Century Council, drivers with BACs in excess of 0.15 represent an estimated 1 percent of drivers on weekend nights, yet they are involved in close to 50 percent of all fatal crashes at that time.
• According to a separate study cited by the Century Council, drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or above are 385 times more likely to be involved in a single vehicle crash than the average non-drinking driver.

I urge your prompt and favorable action on this legislation.

¹President's National Commission against Drunk Driving
²Century Council

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