Politics & Government

Penalties Stiffened for DUI With Child Passengers

A bill that stiffens penalties for drunken driving charges with children in the car has passed the Rhode Island Senate, and now heads to the House.


Parents who drive under the influence with children in the car will be in worse trouble after the State Senate approved legislation this week to stiffen penalties for adults who drive under the influence with a child in their vehicle.

“Driving under the influence is a serious offense, but it rises to a new level of danger when it endangers a helpless child. People who drive drunk with a child in their cars are committing a much more serious crime than DUI, and they deserve a much more significant sentence,” said Senator Goodwin (D Providence).

“This bill sends a message that putting a child’s life at risk in this way will not be tolerated in Rhode Island.”

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Current Rhode Island law allows those convicted of DUI who committed the crime with a child under 13 in their vehicle to be sentenced to up to one year in prison.

Senator Goodwin’s legislation (2013-S 592) would institute immediate license suspension pending prosecution and make the crime a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, license suspension for up to two years, attendance in a course for DUI offenders, and alcohol or drug education or treatment.

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It also allows the sentencing judge to impose an additional “highway assessment” fine of up to $500.

State Police Col. Steven O’Donnell and staff from Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin’s office testified in support of the bill at its hearing on March 7.

There have been numerous cases in recent months of Rhode Islanders being charged with DUI with one or more children in their vehicles.

In one example on Route 95 in October, state troopers arrested a 25-year-old Richmond man who was allegedly driving drunk at 120 miles an hour with his 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old children in the car.

The bill will now head to the House of Representatives, where similar legislation (2013-H 5666) is being sponsored by Rep. Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown).

For an electronic version of this and all press releases published by the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit our Web site at http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/News.

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