TEANECK, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A new law now in effect in New Jersey changes the way convicted drunk drivers are handled, with the idea to prevent a repeat offense and save lives in the process.
Anyone convicted of drunk driving will now be required to install interlocks on their car's ignition. That's a breathalyzer they must use before the car can start. If you're over the limit, the car goes nowhere.
Steven Benvenisti, a victim of a repeat drunk driver, lobbied hard for this law as an attorney and board member with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
"Some states have reported with that minor change in the law up to a 50% reduction in fatalities on the roadways just from making that change," he told KYW Newsradio.
New Jersey joins 33 other states requiring the interlock for all drunk driving convictions. Some first offenders will still face license suspensions, depending on their blood alcohol level at the time. And all repeat offenders will see their driving privileges suspended or even revoked.
But Benvenisti says the aim here is to strike a balance between saving lives, the top priority, and allowing those who truly made a mistake the chance to prove they've learned their lesson.
"It's called essentially compliance-based removal," he added. "So if someone is compliant with the law, they have the greatest likelihood that it'll be a limited period of time before that device is removed."
