My family was forever changed five years ago when a young man hit my mother-in-law on a highway in Florida. Susan Kay was a wife of 42 years, mother of two and grandmother to three (now four).
She was killed by a habitual drunken driver who had prior DUIs, no driver’s license and no insurance. He had borrowed his girlfriend’s car for a night of clubbing with a friend. They were driving 102 mph at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday when they hit and killed Sue. They walked away unhurt.
I love Colorado. I choose to live and raise my family here because of the scenic landscape, the never-ending playground, the progressive culture and the lifestyle.
However, I am shocked that Colorado is one of only five states in the country that does not have a felony DUI law for repeat drunken drivers.
In Colorado, 142 people were killed in drunken driving crashes in 2013, and hundreds more were injured by this 100 percent preventable crime. This represents nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities in the state.
Colorado legislators are debating House Bill 1043, which will create a felony DUI provision in the Colorado law. Under our current laws, repeat drunken drivers continue to be charged with a misdemeanor, no matter how many times they are caught. Passage of this bill would make driving drunk a felony upon an aggravated third offense in seven years or after a fourth offense in a lifetime.
HB 1043 sends a strong message that Colorado takes the crime of impaired driving seriously. Felonies come with specific consequences. People convicted of felonies are denied certain privileges and rights. A felony conviction comes with lifetime consequences. Knowing all of this, a felony DUI law is necessary in Colorado.
This law will not affect first- or even second-time offenders. It will not even affect some third-time offenders. First and second-time offenders will continue to participate in Colorado’s very successful ignition interlock program; ignition interlocks are shown to decrease repeat drunken driving offenses by 67 percent.
This bill specifically targets repeat drunken drivers, like the one who killed Sue, from our roads. For those who continue to drive drunk — even after a second offense — a felony charge is a needed option to hold them accountable — and, more important, make our roads safer.
The bill, revised in late March, is estimated to cost $1.5 million in the first year.
In addition to the emotional burden for victims and their families, drunken driving deaths are an unnecessary economic hardship for Colorado. The average alcohol-related fatality in Colorado costs $5.3 million; in 2013, drunken driving fatalities alone had a negative economic impact of over $752 million on our state and taxpayers.
I recently met with bill sponsor, State Rep. Lori Saine, who said the Colorado budget has increased 40 percent since 2009. This means that we as a state have the money. It’s time to let our legislators know this law is worth prioritizing.
No more excuses: It’s time for a felony DUI law in Colorado.
Larkin Kay lives in Colorado with her husband and two young daughters. She serves as the marketing and communications chair for MADD Colorado.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit or check out our for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
