PennDOT survey got me thinking about DUI penalties.

PennDOT would like you help in completing a survey on driving safety and responsibility. There are a series of questions about driving habits and some general demographic questions. Completing this survey will help PennDOT decide where to concentrate improvement and enforcement in the future.

Driving Survey

I took the survey and it took me less than 5 minutes. There are some tricky questions that do not have clear answers, but I don't think it was meant to be an exact representation. I also skipped the motorcycle portion of the survey as I do not drive a motorcycle.

From the questions I can see where PennDOT is going. They are looking to see if their marketing efforts are having an impact on perceived driver safety and I believe they want to find out where the general public views issues. PennDOT is also asking about what laws you may be interested in regarding DUI with ignition interlock for a first offence, and making seat belt violations a primary offence. Both of these will make maintaining your rivers license more difficult, but may result in safer roadways.

I personally agree that adding a requirement for first time DUI offenders must have the ignition interlock system installed, but only if there is less license suspension time required as a result. This requirement will improve safety and restrict the second time offenders, at the same time allow for a previously licensed driver to continue to work and earn to pay for the fines and costs associated to DUI. The inclusion of an ignition interlock requirement will also teach a driver how quickly you can be impaired by alcohol by showing them their BAC at the same time preventing them from driving drunk.

I do not like violations that cause the double penalty of heavy fines and license suspension for a single mistake. A Pennsylvania resident should never have to be homeless because of penalties of a single mistake, but requiring heavy fines as well as an expensive breathalyzer in addition to a license suspension is a burden that very few can bear at one time. This situation can result in a resident having to pay much more than what they can afford, and not being able to maintain employment or education, causing even more problems with money. This downward spiral can continue with no easy way out, and this is what I would seek to prevent.