The BTA testified at the Oregon Legislature on Wednesday on the need to impose greater sanctions for drivers who kill while driving with a suspended or revoked license. In a presentation to the House Judiciary Committee, BTA Legislative Committee chair Doug Parrow spoke along with Oregon bicycle and pedestrian lawyer Ray Thomas, and two families of victims killed by illegal drivers.
Parrow’s testimony introduced the BTA’s proposal for a Vehicular Homicide law in Oregon:
In Oregon, approximately 40,000 drivers are convicted each year for driving while suspended or driving while revoked. These illegal drivers, particularly those who have been suspended for driving-related offenses, are among the most dangerous people on our roads. They are twice as likely to violate traffic laws and four times as likely to be involved in a crash. Reports of crashes in which the driver was cited for driving while suspended occur with mind-numbing regularity.
Notwithstanding the danger that these suspended drivers represent to the law-abiding public, the State of Oregon’s typical response is to issue yet another license suspension. During just a five-year period, 1,684 drivers accumulated 10 or more DWS/DWR convictions. More than 33,000 received three or more convictions during that period. These people are a continuing threat to every other road user and what do we do when they are caught behind the wheel yet again? Issue another license suspension and wring our hands when they finally kill somebody.
Download the BTA’s presentation materials and full testimony here.
The BTA Legislative Committee is working to gain support for a Vehicular Homicide bill for the 2011 regular session. The committee is asking legislators to convene a work group with interested parties to build consensus on a workable approach during the interim.
I guess I have less sympathy for suspended/revoked drivers than your presenter. It seems to me that if someone kills while driving suspended/revoked, there already two objective facts that should be clear to everyone.
First, the driver has no legal right to drive.
Second. someone is dead.
For me, this meets the criterion for murder by depraved indifference. It should carry at least manslaughter penalties.
My other point is rather a question. It seems that the model legislation being presented provides for 6-10 months of slammer time for someone who is suspended or revoked, but possibly a full year for someone who is inattentive but otherwise driving legally.
Not central to Dave’s point, but “someone who is inattentive but otherwise driving legally” is a contradiction in terms. Driving a motorized vehicle is a dangerous privilege we bestow on just about everyone who can afford it as soon as they turn sixteen. Given the incredible number of deaths caused by drivers each year, including those from collisions, air pollutants, and all the other negative effects we tolerate blithely each day, the penalty for preventable homicide/manslaughter should be much steeper. There is no reason anyone should be paying attention to anything but the vehicle they are controlling while behind the wheel. There is no excuse for murdering another innocent human being with your car, no matter the state of your driver’s license.