Although the individual states command broad latitude in their drunk driving laws and enforcement, with outcomes for similar DUI incidents that can range widely, a trend toward some commonality is emerging in a minority of states.
Those states comprise about 20 percent of all the states, and they are coalescing in laws that hit hard at what are termed Hard Core Drunk Drivers ("HCDD"s). The following states are shifting emphasis from punishment and sanction toward greater focus on sobriety monitoring of the drivers they regard as most dangerous and likely to offend: North Carolina, Arizona, Tennessee, Delaware, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana and both Dakotas.
The HCDD population is defined as those drivers who have had more than one drunk driving arrest within the past three years; who have been arrested with a blood alcohol reading in excess of 0.15 percent; and who collectively have accounted for 40 percent of all DUI convictions.
That is the group to target, says Mike Liams, the CEO of Alcohol Monitoring Systems, the predominant provider of alcohol-monitoring anklets to law enforcement agencies in 48 states. The anklets are intended to provide for round-the-clock monitoring of HCDD motorists, and work in tandem with ignition interlock devices.
More than 190,000 persons charged with DUI have been outfitted with the anklet devices. It is estimated that there are presently about 212,000 interlock systems currently installed in vehicles in the United States.
Both Dakotas and Montana now require that all persons charged with DUI -- even for a first offense -- be monitored at all times for sobriety.
Consequences for a drunk driving charge can be severe. If you are arrested for DUI anywhere in the Atlanta metro area, contact a Gwinnett County criminal defense attorney for prompt assistance and diligent representation in your legal matter.
Related Resource: Sacramento Bee, "Are Alcohol Anklets the New Ignition Interlock?" Oct. 4, 2011
