Drunk drivers may face stiffer penalties in Virginia because of the passage of a bill that will require mandatory fines and jail time for those convicted of DUI offenses, pending the signature of Gov. Mark R. Warner.
The mandatory fines will effect all convicted offenders. Jail time would be mandatory for those offenders driving with minors in the car.
Over the past three years, alcohol related accidents have increased in Virginia from 10,942 in 1999 to 11,265 in 2001. Preliminary statistics for 2002 record 3,715 such accidents with 120 resultant fatalities.
A bill sponsored by Sen. William C. Mims, R-Leesburg, would mandate a minimum fine of $250 for the first conviction, $500 for the second and $1000 for the third.
Virginia currently does not assess mandatory fines for first or third offenses. The current minimum mandatory fine for drunk driving is $200.
The new fine system would be similar to that of other states, Warner Spokesperson Ellen Qualls said. Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky and Connecticut mandate minimum fines of $300, $350, $250 and $500 respectively, she said.
The fine increase is expected to generate $750,000 in revenue for the Commonwealth next year, Qualls added.
After Mim's bill passed the Senate, Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, amended it to include a provision that would mandate a minimum of five days in jail for those convicted of driving under the influence with children under 17 in the car.
Bell said the revenue created by Mim's proposal could pay for the cost of incarcerating offenders.
"It was a way to get one group of drunk drivers to pay for jail time for another group of drunk drivers," he said.
Bell said his experience as a prosecutor showed him that the passengers of drunk drivers are more likely to be injured than the drivers themselves. He added the law was particularly necessary to protect the rights of children.
"Another adult chooses to get in a car with a drunk driver but a child cannot make that choice," he said.
Mims said he welcomed Bell's addition to his bill.
"I applaud Del. Bell's amendment," he said. "Anyone who is so irresponsible as to endanger a child in this fashion deserves to go to jail."
The Senate passed the amended bill Feb. 12, and it now will be sent to Warner.
Qualls speculated the Governor likely would sign the bill.
"We'll have to review it," she said. "But it is likely that it would be something the Governor would support," she said.
University Police Sgt. Melissa Fielding said previous efforts at strengthening DUI laws have been successful.
"As the penalties have increased we've seen that there's been a decrease in accidents due to drunk driving," she said.
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