FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

January 14, 2004

Dave Druker
Randy Nehrt

White Pushes for Law to Prohibit DUI Offenders with Suspended and Revoked Licenses from Purchasing Vehicles

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced today that he is proposing legislation to prohibit drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked for DUI or reckless homicide from purchasing an automobile.

White said the initiative is one more step his office is taking to try to keep the most dangerous drivers off the roads of Illinois. White pointed to a fatal crash that occurred last year as the impetus for the legislation. A drunk driver whose license had been revoked since 1995 slammed his vehicle into a porch killing four people. The driver had purchased his vehicle just three months prior to that wreck despite the fact he was ineligible to drive.

"We have to be ever vigilant in our battle to keep drunk drivers off our roads," White said. "Prohibiting drivers who have been suspended or revoked for DUI or reckless homicide from purchasing a vehicle makes good sense. This proposal should keep these dangerous drivers off our roads and help prevent other senseless deaths at the hands of drunk drivers in the future."

White said the legislation will be introduced by State Rep. Careen Gordon (D-Coal City) and has the support of the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

"As our fight to stop drunk driving continues, we know that we need more effective measures to prevent impaired drivers from having access to vehicles," said Charlene Chapman, Executive Director of the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM). "A law prohibiting these DUI or reckless homicide offenders from buying a car is only logical. AAIM encourages everyone's support for this legislation."

White said legislation would make it a criminal offense for someone to purchase a vehicle while his or her license is suspended or revoked for DUI, Statutory Summary Suspension or reckless homicide. Vehicles purchased in violation of the law would be subject to forfeiture.

Exceptions to the law would be provided for motorists who have been granted driving relief in the form of a judicial driving permit or restricted driving permit. Relief is sometimes granted to offenders to allow them to drive to and from work or scheduled appointments for drug and alcohol treatment.

The legislation requires automobile dealers and lending institutions to use a customers driver's license number or social security number to verify that a customer's driver's license isn't currently suspended or revoked for a DUI, Statutory Summary Suspension or reckless homicide. Those businesses would be prohibited from selling a vehicle or making a loan to a driver whose license was suspended or revoked for those reasons. The automobile dealers and lending institutions will be able to verify if a driver is currently ineligible to purchase a vehicle under the provisions of the law by accessing a Secretary of State website or phone line.

"As a prosecutor, I witnessed the horrible impact that a person's reckless actions have on families. I worked to help keep our streets safe by making sure drunk drivers paid for their crimes," said Rep. Careen Gordon (D-Coal City), a former assistant state's attorney in Will and Kankakee Counties who is sponsoring the legislation. "I'm proud to be working with Secretary of State Jesse White, MADD and AAIM on this issue. Together, we can help reduce the number of alcohol-related auto accidents in Illinois."

"MADD Illinois is pleased to support this legislation. As many as 75 percent of drunk drivers with no valid license continue to drive. This legislation will contribute to lowering that number, thereby reducing alcohol related traffic fatalities in Illinois," said Susan McKinney, Executive Director of MADD Illinois. "We applaud this effort and will work with Secretary of State Jesse White to see this legislation through."