Beefed up Patrols for Halloween

Halloween is a time of year for more than one kind of spirits.

There’s more drinking and thus more drunken driving in what’s become a costumed, hearty party season, according to state traffic experts. “It’s one of our busiest times of the year,” said State Police Inspector Gene Adamczyk of the Lansing office.

So police in Michigan will step up drunk driving patrols this week and Sunday, Halloween, Adamczyk said. That includes county and local police departments. Federal money will pay for extra overtime for road patrols, said Ann Readett, spokesperson for the Michigan Office of Highway and Safety Planning.

Also, a new drunk driving law takes effect Sunday with stiffer penalties for first-time convictions of driving with blood alcohol contents of 0.17 grams or higher. Driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 is considered drunk driving. Those convicted of driving with high levels of blood alcohol would have their license suspended automatically. They also could face 180 days in jail, bigger fines, six points on their driving record and mandatory alcohol treatment.

A restricted license could be granted after 45 days if a driver agrees to install a breath alcohol ignition device on the vehicle they drive. The driver must blow into the device, as with a Breathalylzer, to start the vehicle. The car won’t start if the blood alcohol level registers .025 or higher. Currently, ignition interlock devices are used only for repeat drunk drivers. The driver must blow into the device periodically while driving as well. If it measures alcohol, the car’s horn will sound and its lights will flash until it’s turned off. Then, the driver must contact a probation officer to restart the vehicle – and deal with the consequences.

The convicted driver must pay the installation and daily cost of the ignition interlock device. The installation cost could be waived for low-income drivers. “It will make Michigan roads safer and it will help people get the help they need,” said Rep. Marc Corriveau, D-Northville. He is co-sponsor of the legislation along with Rep. Bob Constan, D-Dearborn Heights.

Michigan has 45,000 drunk driving arrests a year. Of those, nearly 15,000 involve a driver with a blood alcohol level of 0.17 or higher, according to the Office of Highway Safety Planning.


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