Rhode Island has some of the weakest drunken driving laws in the nation, and was the only state to receive a “poor” rating in a survey of legislation to reduce drunken driving, according to a national highway safety organization.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave Rhode Island the mark after comparing states’ laws with four measures it contends research shows has reduced drunken driving. One such measure is an administrative license-revocation law requiring at least a 30-day license revocation for violations. This provision means an immediate revocation for drivers whose breath-test results show an illegal level of alcohol in their blood or who refuse to take the test. Rhode Island has no such provision.
State officials and interest groups say the General Assembly has failed to enact tougher legislation, despite their calls for action. “There’s definitely room for improvement,” said Bernard Frezza, legislative liaison for the state Department of Transportation.
But House Judiciary Committee chairman Robert Flaherty (D-Warwick), said the state’s laws are adequate, and disputed the institute’s ratings system. “I think we clearly have a mechanism to control drunk driving,” Flaherty said. The chairman added he was concerned that drunken driving laws could infringe on the constitutional rights of drivers.
Topics Personal Auto
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