HONOLULU — Drunken drivers face tougher penalties under a new state law that increases fines and lengthens prison terms for those convicted of driving under the influence.
The new law took effect a month ago, after passing both state legislative bodies unanimously. Since then, at least four repeat DUI offenders have been arrested and face long prison sentences and other penalties under the new law, according to a state House of Representatives press release.
The legislative changes to Hawaii’s DUI laws have drawn support from local law-enforcement officials, who say the new law will help prevent deaths and keep roadways safer.
“People who drive while under the influence of an intoxicant are responsible for killing more than 10,000 people per year in the U.S.,” Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck said via email.
“That means nearly 30 families a day lose a spouse, parent or child because an intoxicated person got behind the wheel.”
Kauai Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar echoed the sentiment, saying, “We strongly supported the amendments to Hawaii’s OVUII (operating a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant) law. I commend the legislators and advocates who made this happen. Every DUI is a homicide waiting to happen. It’s a violent crime, and should be treated like one.”
The new law increases fines, lengths of license revocation for first-time offenders, and specifies that habitual offenders — operators of vehicles under the influence of an intoxicant convicted two or more times — can be sentenced to five-year prison terms or probation of five years, along with a mandatory revocation of license for three to five years, and a fine of between $2,000 to $5,000. In addition, any vehicle owned and operated by the person committing the crime may be subject to forfeiture.
State Rep. Chris Lee, who introduced House Bill 703 — now Act 168 — in January, along with a group of co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle, said that last year, 33 people were killed by drunken drivers in Hawaii.
“We will tolerate this reckless behavior no more,” he said in a press release. “Our new law substantially increases fines, adds years of automatic license revocation, and helps send repeat drunk drivers to prison for up to five years to keep our roads safe.”
The bill also established a task force to determine which further changes in DUI laws are needed to help keep drunken drivers off the road.
Arkie Koehl, spokesman for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said Hawaii has had very lenient DUI laws for years.
“We are looking for the task force to develop a comprehensive overhaul of the DUI laws as they stand now. There are a number of things that need to be changed,” he said.
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Caleb Loehrer, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0441 or cloehrer@thegardenisland.com.