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Other states also have tried to tackle the problem.

January 22, 2008

As Maine officials grapple with the dangers posed by people who drive with a suspended license, there is much they can learn from the experiences of other states.

Here is a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of some approaches that are being tried elsewhere, as well as the status of efforts to implement similar policies in Maine:

VEHICLE IMPOUNDMENT

WHAT IT INVOLVES: There are state-to-state variations, but impoundment generally involves the seizure of motor vehicles for a designated period of time, after which the owners must pay fees to get them back. Impoundment is on the books in at least 11 states, including Alabama, Illinois and California, according to a list provided by the National Conference of State Legislators.

PROS: Impoundment has proven effective at getting some vehicles driven by suspended drivers off the road. In about 50 percent of all cases in California, the statewide impoundment program leads to the vehicle's forfeiture, according to a report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The strategy is also credited with hastening the demise of older, more polluting vehicles.

CONS: Impoundment is a blunt instrument, since it sometimes affects people who lend their cars to suspended drivers, or their family members. It has raised civil liberties concerns because it gets implemented before the driver is convicted of a crime. Also, it's not 100 percent effective, since suspended drivers who lose their cars can find other vehicles to drive.

STATUS IN MAINE: The only impoundment program involving suspended drivers here is run by the city of Portland. The city's ordinance, which took effect in 2002, targets repeat offenders. Portland Police Sgt. Gary Hutcheson, who enforces the ordinance, hasn't drawn any conclusions about its effectiveness. "I really don't know if it's having an effect or not because it's just a matter of spinning the roulette wheel until you get caught," he said. Thus far, the state Legislature has declined to try impoundment statewide. Some lawmakers say that such a law would place an unfair burden on the innocent relatives of suspended drivers.

SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES

WHAT IT INVOLVES: If the owner of a vehicle has a suspended license, he or she can be issued special license plates to alert police that there is at least one person who is not allowed to drive the vehicle.

PROS: This idea, used in Minnesota, solves one of the problems with impoundment, since it allows family members to continue using a suspended driver's car. Issuing new license plates is also cheaper than impounding the vehicle. "It certainly makes people who don't have current driving privileges think twice about taking the vehicle," said Tom Evans, a motor-vehicle official in Minnesota.

CONS: Even though the relatives of suspended drivers are allowed to drive the specially marked car, their driving behavior may come under additional, arguably unfair, scrutiny from police. As a result, concerns have been raised about the idea's constitutionality. Also, the program does nothing to prevent a suspended driver from operating another vehicle.

STATUS IN MAINE: Not in effect here.

IGNITION INTERLOCKS

WHAT IT INVOLVES: Requiring installation of devices that prevent cars from starting until drivers prove their sobriety.

PROS: There is significant overlap between the pool of drunken drivers and suspended drivers, and research indicates that these devices are effective at reducing the chances that a drunken driver will re-offend, at least during the period when the devices are installed. Also, the state is not on the hook financially, since the cost of the devices -- estimated at about $60 per month, plus a $50 installation fee -- is paid by the offender. CONS: The devices are not foolproof. Drivers can, for example, borrow a friend's car to get around the device's restrictions. There are also concerns that drunken drivers will simply revert to their old behavior...