Officials hope DWI law cuts down drunken driving incidents

The gavel just fell a little harder for people convicted of DWIs. Offenders now will be required to complete their court-ordered mandate of ignition interlock before they will be allowed to get their full driver's license privileges back.

[Johnny Rotten]

So what? NM still has the weakest laws in the land. Drunks go out and KILL people and NOTHING happens to them. Another round of lip service.

[chief bowels]

ugh,,, that is so true my friend.just like rock and roll music,,DWI will not die.start executing drunk drivers who have three convictions and then maybe the message will sink in.and don't tell me they have to start with me.by the way ,,how much is the price of ramen noodles on the hill in f-town,,,,yeah the chile flavor?

[Question]

After the 3rd DWI offense, the offender should be in jail for life. I fail to see where an Interlock is as effective as a prison sentence - let's get these killers off the streets!!

[Cheeky]

Those don't do a damn bit of good anyway. All they need is someone who hasn't been drinking to access the interlock for them. I know this for fact, I've seen it done, and no it's not me, I don't drink. They need to figure out a way to make it fool proof, because obviously the fools aren't taking it seriously.

[BIG TOM]

NM needs to also adopt a law that many other states have. in Ohio if you get popped for 1 dwi AFTER you get your license back you have to have a bright orange reflective license plate on your car. front and back. it lets sober people know who to watch out for. not a bad idea in my mind. i wonder what nazi richardson thinks of that.

[DWI crash victim]

Cheeky wrote:

Those don't do a damn bit of good anyway. All they need is someone who hasn't been drinking to access the interlock for them. I know this for fact, I've seen it done, and no it's not me, I don't drink. They need to figure out a way to make it fool proof, because obviously the fools aren't taking it seriously.

By now everyone should know that the lawmakers don't care about controlling the DWI problem. This is all a money making ploy thought up by Uncle Bill, probably to pay off some more of his underhanded campaign contributions and kickback schemes. The day we will know lawmakers truly care about DWI laws is when we see all convicted offenders walking along the roads and streets and only the sober drivers driving.

[Repeat Offender]

Cheeky wrote:

Those don't do a damn bit of good anyway. All they need is someone who hasn't been drinking to access the interlock for them. I know this for fact, I've seen it done, and no it's not me, I don't drink. They need to figure out a way to make it fool proof, because obviously the fools aren't taking it seriously.

You are right, money talks! Pay someone to "blow" it for you.

[Impartial]

Total joke will make zero difference. Of course 400 have no vehicle registered, that is because their wife/husband, girlfriend/boyfriend, mother/father have the vehicles registered in their names. or like most of NM no one bothers to register a vehicle or get insurance. Multiple dwi offenders from other states come to NM because we have the most lax DWI program in the country. Until one of these drunks kills the relative of a big time politician, nothing will change here. It is not uncommon for these people to have 10+ violations, and they are still on the road. Start locking them up for a year! Now thats a deterrent! Get them off the roads that way.

[Pragmatist]

While many here advocate for extensive jail time, we must face the reality that it is a.) expensive and b.) difficult to do with an overcrowded prison population already.

The solution is, has, and continues to be the simplest of all: you DWI, the state takes the car. Period. The first time and every time. Doesn't matter if it belongs to the driver or not (unless previously reported stolen by owner).

The argument is made "but that person (or person's family) NEEDS the car to go to work, get groceries, etc." Well, if we put the DWI offender in jail they wouldn't need the car to go to work (since they would lose your job), so it should actually be considered a real perk that we're only taking the car, and not their freedom (yet).

Others argue that this simply CANNOT be done legally. BS. The federal government created laws that allow them to confiscate and sell EVERYTHING in a house following a drug bust... even if there is no solid conviction! The laws can be changed, but it requires a legislature that isn't driving drunk themselves (the people of our state legislature have many DWI convictions - and drunk-driving related "incidents" - which means many of them would be the same lawbreakers they would be writing the law for).

The state can then auction off the cars and use the money specifically for a.) alcohol treatment programs and b.) restitution to persons or property if injured/damaged by the DWI driver's actions.

It's a win-win in my book, and it shifts some of the responsibility onto the family and friends who KNOW that a person is going to go and get drunk and drive the vehicle. I've seen way to many who turn a blind eye because they don't want to deal with it, and consider that the consequences don't affect themselves personally enough to care.

When you have a car payment but no car, maybe you'll care!

[ponee]

just take thier vehicle and sell it and never give them a license again....make them move to california

[NM loss]

It is a big joke in NM to get stoped. For $10 you can buy a air pump that plugs in that will blow for you,Why ask or pay some one to blow for you?If you take the car and put the money into the tax pot then we all get part of it. As it is now, it is just a big money maker for a few in the DWI top end.If you don't think so take a look at the W2 at the end of the year. The 1st time you walk no car, if you do drive you go to jail for a year.No TV or food. You come to work at 7AM not 7:05 or you go to jail. You get a brown bag for lunch, go home at 6PM

[Really]

Another DWI law HMMM imagine that! File that one under "U" for useless.

[farmington local]

I believe the laws still aren't strict enough. First offense I say months in jail, no drivers license for 2 years and the interlock. Second offense I says year in prison, no drivers license for 5 years. Thrid offense 4 years in prison no drivers license ever. New mexico needs to step it up. Thank god im moving to an area that has extremely strict dwi laws.

[Idiots one and all]

Plain and simple, this is not going to make a diffence. People are going to drive, with or without and interlock and with or without a license!! What we need is to start siezing cars of people convicted of DWIs and who are caught driving after the fact! Hit them where it really hurts!

[LOUD PIPES]

I will believe this when I see it actually is put into effect.

[Hantavirus]

LOUD PIPES wrote:

I will believe this when I see it actually is put into effect.

What are you trying to say Loud Prick? DimwitRegulator is right...you never made past the 5th grade