Penalty license plates urged for 3-time DUI drivers’ cars

After reading all of the comments. It makes me scratch my head and wonder what is wrong with people. Many need a serious reality check. Who would value a person's feeling or humiliation over someone’s life? The plates are another stupid idea, and don’t even do anything to fix problem. I am a child of an alcoholic and a career navy man that deals with this stuff all of the time. But when I sit in court observing judge after judge waiving fines and jail time, I wonder how this can possibly solve the problem. If you hit an alcoholic where it hurts the most. Hit them in the pocketbook. Take away their money to purchase alcohol or send them to jail for a long time to feel withdraws. Then they start to get the reality of the situation. Counseling or AA doesn’t work as a punishment. Alcoholism is a disease and needs proper attention to correct, but has a small success rate. Simple DUI = Impound the car and auction it off, with the proceeds going to the local Police Department, that made the arrest. + 1 year of straight jail time. (No weekends or conditional driver’s license). + Heavy fines. Then they will only be a burden to themselves. NO CAR, NO DUI. Then they can walk to the st

Forget about drunk drivers, this is a waste of time and energy for we all know if one is determined to drink and drive, the only thing stopping them will be jail time. Save my tax dollars for something more appropriate such as, lets insert chips into all convicted pedeophiles while in jail upon their release, to monitor their whereabouts during an Amber alert....we all know time is of the essence when one child goes missing and how better to track all offenders in the area of the missing child? This would quicken response time and rescue time tremendously by locating every known offender within the radius of the missing child. Drunk drivers? Lock them up after the 2nd offense for 6 months. Make them go to AA upon release and check in once a month. If caught the third time, lock them up for a year. License plates are a very dumb idea, for one shouldn't have gotten a license after the second offense, geez...

I agree. Anyone with 3 convictions should be in prison for at least 10 years and never be allowed to drive again.

I happen to think a lot of this idea! Why not? I'm not particularly interested in "drunk drivers" ~ I also have nothing to worry about as I DON'T DO THAT! Just a few thoughts . . . .

Anyone with 3 DUI convictions should be in jail. Once released they should NEVER have a drivers license again. If an innocent family member is driving an auto with a yellow or any other designation, they assume the scorn of the general public even though they are completely innocent. This a stupid idea. Address the problem of the drink driver directly with prison and denial of all and any driving rights. It doesn't matter, a 3 time looser will just put stolen plates on their vehicle anyway.

Just another waste of time by legislators who can't find anything better to do. So the last thing someone sees before they die is the flash of a yellow license plate? Put some teeth in the laws already on the books, and just get them off the streets! You really think the 3rd offender gives a crap about the color of his license plate? Like somebody inferred earlier, you'll probably see them all over the place!

how about allowing taxi's from norfolk to pick up people in virginia beach, or instead of getting your car towed after 2am at the oceanfront, let people leave them there. why are we making it so hard to get home by any other way? how about some mass transit, train, trolley, anything quicker than the bus. give people a chance to be responsible, instead of the alternative.

Ohio already does this. I am sure other states do as well. I can not believe that someone who has three DUI's is allowed to have a drivers license. Must be a commonwealth thing.

Do I know what it's like to blow a .08? No...I don't get behind the wheel unless I'm sure I can blow a .00. If I have been drinking at all, I hand the keys to someone else. If you drink and drive, you're a moron. Period.

I've seen several people get charged DUI several times and the courts either reduce the charges or dismiss the charges if they complete a silly little program. Few of these people ever completed the programs but the went to them until their next court date and the charges were dropped. It's time for the judges to stop being enablers and uphold the law and the efforts and work of the police departments. More laws and programs are not the answer! The answer is to uphold the current laws on the books.

I read these comments and people make it seem like this will actually deter people from driving under the influence. This would have ZERO effect on the decision making of an enebriated driver. Even organizations such as MADD (quoted in the article) realize that this plan is useless. All I see is that some legislator wanted to take a "tough" stand on drunk drivers and make some headlines.

They shouldn't be able to own a car moreless drive one!

Perhaps the plates should have "Jack Daniels and Jim Beam ride shotgun with me!!!", also.

Why do they still have a license with 3 DUI's? I rather not see any of those plates on the road. We can take away a license for non payments of child support but we keep those with multiple DUI's on the road? What part of the game is that?

Anyone with three DUI convictions should not be able to obtain a license, much less own a car. The General Assembly missed the target on this one.

but there are drivers on the roads perfectly SOBER who present more of a danger to my life and yours than a drunk....why single the drunk driver out? BTW, the license plate is a crappy idea.

THREE DUI's they shouldn't be driving and if they are they probably don't own a car and they are using someone else's.
DMV should not allow any one with two DUI's to drive yet alone three. Three they should be locked up for a long long time... And DMV should be held accountable for their actions.

YES give them the plate after 1 DUI and have them keep it for 1 year at a cost of $1000 + civil costs.
Tattoo their forehead after 2 DUI's using PINK ink.
Jail them forever after three.

Lets face it if some is charged and convicted with attempted murder three times they wouldn't get out of jail. No different than using your vehicle as a weapon for murder.

w is this plate any different then someone having a personalized plate?? You can brag what college you went too, or you have confederate pride. If you drive drunk, then why not allow the rest of us to know to stay away. What happened to all the anger from last April, when two young girls were killed by a drunk driver?! We should label them, they broke the law, endangered lives and maybe the will learn not to drink/drive. Would they rather have the guilt of killing someone, while driving drunk. If they have that yellow plate, they shouldn’t care how it looks and what others say. Stop DUI/DWI too many people have been killed, and this can help-a little. That is better then nothing!

Great comment that should put the debate to sleep. What amazes me is how Americans are jumping on board every stupid idea some politician come up with. This sheep-syndrome is growing at an alarming rate.

....unless we are going to A license plates for Adulterers, S license plates for sex offenders, T license plates for tax evaders, etc. Seriously folks, they tried the scarlet letter thing in the 1600s...I don't think it worked. Far better to take away licenses and put people in jail.

This law would set a bad standard, and so where does it stop? We supposedly need to know who the DUI offenders were - so why don't we need to know who has had a reckless speeding ticket? They're a danger to me also. In fact, people who have a couple speeding tickets have shown that they don't have regard for the safety of themselves or others on the road with them - so why don't we have special license plates for them as well? Murderers, Sex Offenders, people with multiple drug convictions don't have special license plates - which is worse? If MADD says the interlock is what works, not license plates, then that should be enough, instead of a politician trying to put on his resume that he's 'tough on drunk driving', when his bill/law actually does nothing of the sort.

katet43484 and JayVaBeach,

You two could not be more out of touch. Kate, "civil liberties be damned"? Are you serious? You really should move back to a Communist country where you belong. Enough said.

Jay, you're ASKING to live in a Communist country, so maybe you should move along with Kate. You do not have a RIGHT to know who I am any more than I have the right to know that you own 2 pistols or 3, wipe your backside barehanded before shaking my hand at the company picnic, or that you were treated for depression in your past (all of which could be a potential threat to my well-being).

Both of you should read the US Constitution instead of forming your opinions based on print media, TV hype journalism, and useless drivel from elected windbags.

Geez!

I would rather see the 3rd time offender serve time in jail and lose their driving privileges than sport the yellow tag. Reality is these drivers get the third and fourth chance to go out and massacre a family due to the legal system and its loopholes. At least Delegate Spruill is making an effort to ID these dangerous drivers so we can be aware. Will it stop them from driving under the influence, no. Will it alert you and I that there is a person who has no regard for anyone other than themselves on the road near us, yes. Hopefully the yellow tag will cause us to scrutinize this drivers actions closely. Then we can use the cell phone next to our ear to call 911 reporting their erratic driving before they injure or kill their next innocent victim(s).

Here we go again, some politican trying to make a name for him-self (Leave it to the Courts).
If this ridiculous Bill should get passed then it should be amended not only to Drunk drivers. (Yellow Plates).
How about the Sex offender that might be living next door to you? lets have their license plates (RED).
The convicted Drug dealers sell to are children and Useres, lets make their plate (ORANGE).
This is what are Tax dollar buying us the tax payer? to have these bureaucrat set up there and think of this bulls***. Here's a thought, How about creating JOBS, Lowing Taxes and creating a better standard of living. MY TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.

I guess most of the sheep making negative comments regarding my post are happy to throw their money in the toilet. My point simply is that the laws on the books are sufficient. Government needs to concentrate on things like a transportation solution for our region, not some ecentric, wasteful, pointless crap like this that is only meant to make folks with no self esteme be reassured they are better than at least 1000 other Virginians a year and maybe vote. HAHAHAHA

It seems like a good idea to me. When we're talking about such an enormous threat to all of us on highways having to deal with drunks, why not try this? Even if the possible shame causes one person to stop and think and call a taxi before getting behind the wheel, then it's helped. And all of us would be more cognizant of the driver of such a labeled vehicle and better able to avoid him/her and watch for erratic driving to report to authorities. Civil liberties for the offenders be damned when it comes to the safety of innocents.

I think that we the general public while out on the highways & byways have the right to know exactly whom we're driving along with. Furthermore, I too am in agreement with other commenters that a 3rd time offender really shouldn't have a driving privilege all together. This has nothing to do with living in a "dry county" as one recommended, but rather maintaining responsibility & being held accountable.

Why wait until 3rd conviction, driver guilty to DUI, should get yellow plates immediately after judge's ruling. If you keep driving drunk 2nd time dock license for 4 years & give them 2 yrs in jail. 3rd time auction vehicle to cover court costs. However, 1st time is never acceptable & is sometimes 1 time too many, like Alfredo Ramos case where 2 innocent victims were killed by drunken driver. Don't be afraid to report drunk drivers to Police, next time when drunk driver kills, it could be someone you know. To the person who commented like yellow plated are Jihadist& against Constitution, you need to get your head checked, if you are traveling overseas & driving drunk, guess what? US Constitution is not going to help you there, you go by Laws of the country in question, for example most European countries blood alcohol level is 0.05.There are no "goobers" to kick man down, if you blow 0.08 here & are arrested, are you going to blame somebody else because your stupidity? Don't drink & drive, don't text & drive.

I hope you are not breeding.

Use the same solution that has been applied to illegal immigration. It's been legalized, hasn't it?