Here is a startling statistic: roughly 10,000 people die every year on the nation's roads and highways because people who have been drinking choose to drive.
For many of us, this reality hits too close to home. Just one year ago, Sandstone 17-year-old Colton Nelson was killed after a head-on car crash. The driver of the other vehicle, who had crossed the center line and struck Nelson's car, was found after the collision to have a blood alcohol content above .11. Minnesota's legal limit is .08.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety finds that up to 75 percent of DWI offenders continue to drive illegally and put the public in danger on the roadway after their arrest and license suspension.
Regarding the man who killed Colton Nelson, he previously had a careless-driving conviction in a case where drunken driving charges were dropped. Any use of alcohol invalidated his license, but that threat alone did not keep him from getting behind the wheel.
When you hear stories like this, there is little doubt that we need to improve our DWI laws, which is why I'm co-authoring legislation requiring an ignition interlock device to be installed on the vehicle of convicted drunk drivers, beginning with their second violation.
Interlock devices connect to a car's electrical starter and do not allow it to start if it detects a preset level of alcohol on the driver's breath. According to a 2014 Government Accountability Office report, the use of ignition interlocks can reduce the rate of re-arrests for DUI by up to 70 percent.
The bill would mandate ignition interlock for the driver's second DUI offense over a ten-year period, and for the driver's third offense or more over the course of their lifetime. Offenders, not the state, would pick up the cost.
It would also give the drunk driver a chance to continue being productive in society. With the ignition interlock, offenders could still take their kids to school and drive to work, while the public can be assured they're not making these trips while intoxicated.
We've seen firsthand the devastation that can occur when people drink and drive. It's unknown how many lives this proposal would ultimately save if it becomes law, but no one can argue that it would help prevent repeat drunk drivers from hurting innocent people.