MADD Explains So-Called OWI First-Time Offender Dangers

Criticizing Wisconsin's weak, unique, ticket-only first-offense OWI has been a frequent topic on this blog, and I have often pointed out that a first-time offender is more accurately 'first-time-caught'.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009Latest Wisconsin OWI Tragedy - - Suspect A First-Time OffenderGiven his BAC and admitted marijuana use, I'd bet it's not the defendant's first-time episode of impaired driving.

Now Mothers Against Drunk Driving is highlighting how dangerous so-called first-time offenders really are, noting they are responsible for most of the OWI fatalities and have driven an estimated 80 times under the influence before being caught:

"‘First-time’ offenders are rarely first-time drunk drivers," said a MADD news release on Feb. 11, 2014. "Conservative estimates show that a first-time convicted OWI offender has driven drunk at least 80 times prior to being arrested."