Lawmakers unanimously vote to close loophole in state’s drunk driving law
Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday voted 98-0 to close a loophole in the state’s drunk driving law in hopes of reducing drunk driving deaths. SB1, sponsored by Springville-Republican state Sen. Jim McClendon would require persons charged with driving under the influence to use an ignition interlock device after their first offense. An ignition interlock is a device about the size of a cell phone that is wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A convicted drunk driver must blow into the device in order to start their vehicle. If they have a measurable amount of alcohol in their system, it prevents the vehicle from starting. In 2014, Alabama became the 21st state to pass an all-offender ignition interlock law, expanding the use of ignition interlocks to all convicted drunk drivers, including first-time convicted drunk drivers with an illegal BAC of .08 or greater. However, loopholes exist that allow first-time offenders to enter into diversion agreements or choose not to go on the interlock. SB1 closes that loophole and incentivizes more people to choose an interlock over choosing to drive illegally on a suspended license. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) the Yellowhammer State reduced drunk driving fatalities by 6.8 percent from 2014 to 2015 thanks to use of the device.
Baldwin Commissioner Chris Elliott arrested for drunk driving in Fairhope
Following attendance at a charity event, a Baldwin county commissioner faced a DUI arrest late Monday night. Commissioner Chris Elliott was arrested for driving drunk after failing to stop at a flashing red light at an intersection in Fairhope, AL. Earlier that evening, the 35-year-old Republican pol from Spanish Fort was at a steak cook-off hosted by the local Rotary Club. “I inadvertently ran a flashing red traffic light near the event in downtown Fairhope,” Elliott said in a release that was sent from his office. “On the advice of counsel, I declined the breathalyzer requested which automatically resulted in the issuance of a citation for driving under the influence of alcohol,” continued Elliott. “There are consequences for my decisions and I will face these consequences. I apologize for my actions and regret any embarrassment that this may cause the County that I serve, the law enforcement officers that keep us safe and my family that I love dearly.” Elliott, who represents Baldwin County’s 2nd District, was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley to the seat in 2014. According to AL.com, he joined fellow commissioners in warning against breaking traffic laws after a wave of headlines stirred concern over deadly traffic accidents. “When you fail to (obey the law), you run the very real risk of killing someone else,” said Elliott back in 2015.
