Tulsa, OK- You're risking your life every time you get behind the wheel of a car.
The odds of being involved in a fatal crash increase when you throw drunk drivers into the mix of motorists crowding the roads.
That's why one lawmaker is proposing changes to the state's current DUI laws.
"The bottom line is we need to crack down on long-term, repeat offenders who are out there and could hurt someone else," said Rep. Harold Wright, R-Weatherford. "By making some simple, common-sense changes to Oklahoma law, we could save lives in the future."
As the director of MADD in Tulsa, Shawn Jenkins sees it all the time- lives taken at the hands of someone drunk behind the wheel.
"You don't want to see someone that you love lose their life, especially something that's so needless and preventable," said Jenkins.
In Tulsa this year, according to police, we've had eight DUI deaths. They also say in September they made 90 more DUI arrests compared to the same month last year.
Rep. Wright wants to see these numbers go down across the state by modifying the current DUI laws, which he says, are in need of change.
He says it starts with cracking down on long-term, repeat offenders whom, because of legal loopholes, are allowed to stay on the roads much longer.
"If someone is caught with a DUI and their sentence is deferred, then once that sentence is deferred and they get past that point, they basically cannot be charged with a felony charge," said Wright.
He wants to make it possible for a prosecutor to charge that person with a felony even if it's their second offense.
Another problem, Jenkins says, is with sentencing repeat DUI offenders.
"In Oklahoma, it's hard to recognize that repeat DUI offense when a repeat DUI could be in a very small municipality and it doesn't go through a registered court system."
One of two state laws recently enacted to strengthen penalties for DUI offenders includes an increase in the prison sentence from seven years to 10 years for a repeat DUI offender. A third-time offender will soon face 20 years in jail, rather than 10 years. That law becomes effective Nov. 1st.
Another law became effective in July. It states anyone caught drinking and driving with a child in the car will be charged with a felony.
Meantime, Rep. Wright is calling for a legislative study to make way for an eventual bill to be introduced in the next legislative session.
