Central and Eastern Kentucky
(2010-02-09)
FRANKFORT, KY (WEKU) - The full House will consider legislation aimed at keeping drunk drivers off the road. The bill requires certain convicted drunk drivers to blow into a breathalyzer type device before they start their car. If they're too drunk to drive, the vehicle won't start. Angela Kriswell, with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, says new technologies prevent a second person from blowing into the interlock machine.
"Most of them have some sort of breathing and humming pattern that you have to use when you blow so you have to be trained on how to use the device, they also require random running re-tests," said Kriswell.
Western Kentucky representative Brent Yonts asked Bill Sponsor Dennis Keene who would be responsible for paying for the interlock equipment.
"Again what is the cost and who pays for it? The convicted criminal pays for it and how much does it cost? It costs three dollars a day average, it's a lease it's not a purchase it's a lease. So we're looking at in some cases up to a year on the third or subsequent offenses," said Yonts.
Bill Sponsor Dennis Keene says his daughter was hit by a drunk driver. He says she underwent three operations and was in a wheelchair when she received her high school diploma. Keene says the bill has been strengthened to include first time offenders. He says judges could order the ignition interlock for a minimum of six months up to as long as 30 months.
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