1 week Ago By Teresa Mettela
DRIVERS have been warned about severe penalties as a new law goes into effect on April 9. Drivers who violate the new law could be ordered to attach devices to their vehicles. GettyOhio drivers could be asked to attach devices to their vehicles if caught drunk driving[/caption]The law, named Liv’s Law, hopes to deter drunk drivers from repeat offensesOhio Governor Mike DeWine signed off on a new driving law, also known as Liv’s Law, which will be implemented on Wednesday, as reported by a local Ohio outlet Record Herald.
Liv’s Law is named after an Ohio resident Olivia Wright, 22, who tragically died in a drunk driving accident.Lawmakers who initiated this bill hoped to increase the penalty for those who are caught driving drunk and raise the stakes for Aggravated Vehicular Homicides. Several sponsors of the legislation have spoken about its potential impact and significance, including Representative Mark Johnson.
“A constituent brought this issue to my desk after losing his daughter Olivia to a drunk driver,” Johnson said. “Mr. Wright pointed out how weak Ohio’s laws are compared to other states,” he added.
Johnson backed the legislation to prevent any drunk drivers from repeating their mistakes. Under Liv’s Law, the minimum fine for a first-time offense will increase from $375 to $565. Second-time offenders will have to pay $715 — which is a steep hike from $525.
The penalty for aggravated vehicular homicide goes up to $25,000 and 20 years in prison. This extreme penalty only applies if the offender has had three or more OVI-related convictions within the last decade.The law will also allow courts to consider past offenses when issuing consequences.
Depending on the severity of the offense, courts could order the driver to attach a device to their vehicle. Ohio State Representative Kevin Miller was one of many who initiated this legislation.Alternative ways to get home if impairedDriving impaired is not only illegal, it's incredibly dangerous - here are ways the AAA suggests getting home if you've overindulged.
Establish a designated driver (DD). If you’re celebrating with a group, determine who will be responsibly driving the group home. To avoid any irreversible accidents, have the DD collect everyone’s keys at the beginning of the night.
Utilize public transportation. Depending on your location, you might be able to take a bus, monorail, shuttle, or train home. It may come with a fare, but it’s cheaper than a DUI or someone’s life.
Go with ride-sharing. Uber or Lyft are great options. If you’ve never used either service before, create an account and download the app before celebrating.
Taxis are also an option.If you live in FL, GA, IA, MI, ND, NE, TN, WI, CO (Denver), NC (Charlotte) and IN (Fort Wayne/South Bend), you can call AAA’s Tow 2 Go number, (855) 2-TOW-2-GO.Source: AAA“Today’s vote brings us one step closer to protecting Ohioans from those who have been repeatedly convicted of an OVI related offense,” said Miller.
“It is my hope that Liv’s Law will serve as a deterrent for those who have repeatedly decided to put the lives of others at risk all for the sake of their convenience.”Currently, officers can only collect blood and urine samples and perform breath testing on drivers.Under the new driving law, police officers are allowed to collect oral fluid samples from drivers who they suspect might be driving drunk.
With this new information, officers can test for substance use immediately and receive results within minutes.Drivers who have been charged two or more times will be required to use ignition interlocks or breathalyzers before they get on the road..
