January 7, 2007

OLYMPIA – State Rep. Pat Lantz (D-Gig Harbor), announced today that she will be sponsoring significant DUI-related legislation to give our law enforcement agencies additional tools to keep drunk drivers off the roads.

The bill, requested by Governor Gregoire, creates a sobriety checkpoint program in Washington state. The targeted program would both detect and deter those driving under the influence of alcohol and will be used on roads with a history of drunk driving accidents.

"Washington is one of only 11 states that does not use this tool to prevent drunk driving accidents," Lantz said.  "Yet studies have clearly shown that the human tragedies caused almost predictably by impaired drivers on certain roads at certain times can be sharply reduced using sobriety checkpoints."

In the United States, there is, on average, an alcohol-related traffic fatality every 31 minutes. That’s nearly 50 people a day – men, women and children – killed by drunken driving.

“While driving is a necessity for many of us, it is also a privilege,” stated Lantz. “We all have the responsibility to make our roads safe for everyone. A sober driver is a safer driver.”

Rep. Lantz chairs the House Judiciary Committee.