Legislation targets intoxicated drivers

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) wants to make prevention a top priority.

That’s the aim of MADD’s new federal legislative plan to significantly reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

The proposed legislation, backed by MADD, would establish more funding for ongoing law enforcement efforts, such as sobriety checkpoints.

It also encourages states to enact get-tough laws for "higher-risk" drunk drivers as a condition of receiving that state’s full share of federal highway funds.

MADD defines a "higher-risk" driver as a repeat drunk driving offender, a driver with a high blood-alcohol concentration, or someone driving on a suspended license from a prior DUI conviction.

Surveys show that 75 percent of Americans support sobriety checkpoints to help combat drunk driving and 62 percent want sobriety checkpoints to be used more often.

For more information on proposed legislation and how to contact your elected representative, visit www.madd.org.

This story was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.