American Notes Justice

In the past decade, tougher laws against drunken drivers have dragged tens of thousands of offenders through protracted court battles and ultimately to jail. Now the police possess a faster and more effective method of keeping drinkers off the roads. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have passed administrative-license-revocati on laws that give police the right to seize the licenses of drivers who fail or refuse sobriety tests.

The new tactic has posted dramatic results. Nationwide studies indicate that fatal nighttime crashes have dropped 9%, and the National Transportation Safety Board has estimated that if all 50 states adopted ALRs, 2,000 lives could be spared each year. "It seems to work because of the certainty," says Jane Roemer of the National Safety Council. "People know that if they are found to be drinking and driving there will be immediate punishment." Civil libertarians charge that the laws violate the principles of due process and presumption of innocence, but Roemer counters that no state has yet rejected ALRs on constitutional grounds.