The state senate likes the idea of making drunk drivers use a "Scarlet Letter" license plate.
It’s part of an omnibus highway and transportation bill—a proposal that any drunk driver whose license is suspended or revoked for more than 60 says would have to turn in his or her regular license plates and get special plates designating the person as a convicted drunk driver.
Sponsor Bill Stouffer of Napton says it would help police be aware of convicted drunks on the road. Senator Jolee Justus says other family members would be penalized, too, because they’d be driving the vehicle with the DWI plate on it.
Justus says it’s a well-intentioned net but it’s dragging in innocent people. Stouffer says these thing work…and they have to because drunk drivers with revoked licenses… who keep driving… are 40 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than anybody else.
Download Bob Priddy’s story (:61 mp3)
