UNDER THE INFLUENCE

The consequences for driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal
limit are clear in Wisconsin law, and the punishment for causing harm to
another while driving drunk are tough.

But for those driving under the influence of other illegal drugs don't face
the same penalties, because there is no set standard for the amount of
drugs such as marijuana or cocaine it takes for a person to be impaired.
The result is a system that can let those who cause accidents while
impaired by drugs other than alcohol off more lightly.

Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin, is planning to introduce a bill that
establishes a zero tolerance level for driving and causing an accident
after the use of illegal drugs. The penalties for harming another person
while on drugs will be the same as those for drunken driving.

It seems only reasonable that a person who kills another while driving
drunk faces a maximum 40-year sentence while a person who drives while
impaired by other drugs can only be charged with reckless use of a vehicle
and receive a maximum 2-year sentence.

It's a change that makes sense for Wisconsin's traffic laws, providing more
equal treatment for equal crimes and a greater sense of justice for victims.