Flanked by the Attorney General, the Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and the bill's sponsors, Governor Donald L. Carcieri today signed into law legislation that would make drunk driving a criminal offense.
"With the Fourth of July holiday just two days away, scores of Rhode Islanders will be attending parties and celebrations. By enacting tougher drunk driving standards, we have taken appropriate steps to help ensure the safety of all those traveling on our roads," said Governor Carcieri.
Today, Rhode Island becomes the 36th state in the nation to bring drunk driving laws into compliance with federal standards. Specifically, the bill makes driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 a crime rather than a civil offense.
"We have seen the horrors of drunk driving. We have seen promising lives cut short. We can never forget these tragedies and the tremendous anguish the families of the victims have endured," said Governor Carcieri.
As an added dimension, the Governor noted that failure to enact .08 legislation this year would have resulted in the loss of $17 million in federal transportation funds earmarked for new highway safety programs.