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MICHIGAN’S IGNITION INTERLOCK LAW-EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 31, 2010

One of the most important purposes of Michigan drunk driving laws is to prevent crashes, severe injuries and deaths caused by impaired drivers.  Still, alcohol-impaired driving takes an enormous toll in the United States, killing approximately one person every 45 minutes.[1]  In 2008, nearly 11, 773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.[2]  Of the 216 child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2008, about half (99) were riding in the vehicle with the alcohol-impaired driver.[3]

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TRAFFIC SAFETY Case of the Month

Michigan Supreme Court Overrules People v Derror; 11-Carboxy-THC is not a Derivative of Marijuana

The victim was walking in the paved portion of a 5 lane road. His BAC was .268. It was dark and raining. The defendant hit the victim and left the scene. The trial judge precluded admission of any evidence regarding the victim’s intoxication. The defendant was convicted of operating with the presence of a schedule 1 controlled substance causing death, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and OWI, 2nd offense.

The defendant appealed, claiming that evidence of the victim’s intoxication should have been admitted on the issuance of causation, and that

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