After years of too many lives needlessly lost in alcohol-related crashes, Wisconsin lawmakers finally appear poised to stiffen drunken driving laws.
This move is far overdue. Wisconsin is the only state in the union that doesn’t recognize first-offense drunken driving as a criminal offense, and drivers don’t face a felony charge until the fifth offense. Meanwhile, Wisconsin leads the nation in alcohol-related fatal crashes.
And keep in mind alcohol-related accidents are costly in themselves. Donna Katen-Bahensky, president and CEO of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, said that in 2006, alcohol-related hospitalizations totaled nearly $720 million in Wisconsin.