HARRISBURG, Pa. — People who drive under the influence will soon see stiffer penalties in Pennsylania, after a law that increases penalties for repeat DUI offenders takes effect this week.
Act 59 of 2022 requires consecutive sentencing, rather than concurrent, for DUI offenders who refuse a breath test or have a BAC of .16—double the legal limit—or higher.
A third DUI now results in a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, and a fourth DUI now results in a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and an 18-month suspension of driving privileges.
“This law makes significant changes to existing law that will ultimately increase the protection of all drivers by keeping repeat offenders from continuing to operate a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol after being charged with a DUI,” said Diego Sandino of PennDOT, which sent out an announcement when the law came into force.
The law is known as “Deana’s Law” in honor of Deana DeRosa Eckman, who was killed in a head-on collision in 2019 by a man previously convicted of five DUIs.
Nearly a third of drivers arrested for DUI have previous DUI convictions, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Administration. FBI statistics show the average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before their first arrest.