New DUI law makes its way through New Jersey assembly

Across the country, repeat drunk drivers are increasingly seeing stiffer fines and penalties associated with DUI arrests in an attempt to keep such offenders off the street.

In New Jersey, policymakers are hoping to put a stop to drunk driving with new laws that target repeat offenders specifically, according to NBC News 40.

The media outlet states that members of the New Jersey Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee met on Thursday, June 7, to discuss a bill that would dramatically increase the penalties for multiple drunk driving offenses.

"What we're looking at is to stiffen the laws for those individuals that actually have a problem and hopefully they can seek help without putting them back on the road causing dangerous situations for innocent people," said Assemblyman John Amodeo.

The bill comes only a few weeks after a man from Vineland was arrested five times for drunk driving in the span of little more than four weeks. When news of the man's action broke, the state's law and safety committee said it was an issue that could not be overlooked.

"I feel the necessity is important to us. I believe it will move through the legislative process pretty quickly,” Amodeo said.

If the new bill is passed, anyone convicted of a second or subsequent DUI offense within 60 days of an earlier offense would face criminal charges in the fourth degree. This much stiffer penalty means that those arrested for DUI could spend up to 18 months in prison, which could be accompanied by a fine as high as $1,000, depending on the circumstances of the arrest, the news source stated.

The bill is gaining support from many local residents, who say the drunk driving problem in New Jersey has spiraled out of control.

"I think that by imposing stiffer penalties it's going to send a message to other people out there that New Jersey is not going to put up with drunk drivers on their roads,” said Linwood resident Noreen Prettyman.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 10,000 people were killed across the country in alcohol-related accidents in 2010, equal to one every 51 minutes. In addition to new laws, local task forces are being created to beef up the presence of DUI checkpoints and other enforcement measures. 

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