MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- As the most deadly drunken driving season of the year approaches, according to base safety and legal officials, Camp Pendleton continues to enforce a zero tolerance policy with the road to recovery in mind.
Pendleton's magistrate office plan to present convicted DUI offenders with a new punitive option, Jan. 1. Offenders may choose to serve a yearlong driving suspension or voluntarily install an in-car breathalyzer to reduce their sentence.
“What we are trying to do is help Marines recognize their mistakes and give them some liberties back,” said Peter B. Davis, base magistrate, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “This program is intended to offer Marines the opportunity to regain base driving privileges and take responsibility.”
The device requires that drivers breathe into a small cell-phone like machine that checks blood alcohol content to start the vehicle. The system also conducts periodic breath tests during vehicle operation to prevent attempts to deceive the device.
The Department of Defense’s current policy mandates DUI offenders lose their driving privileges aboard any military installation for a minimum of one year. The new voluntary alcohol interlock ignition option will return these privileges much earlier with a specific time still undetermined, but may be as short as 90 days.
“A lot of times the Marines are married, so (the yearlong penalty) puts a big impact and burden on their family members,” said Kevin L. Frantum, traffic safety manager, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
If the alternative becomes officially implemented, Camp Pendleton would be the first Marine Corps installation to reduce the DUI penalty with the interlock system.
“There have been instances where Marines have gotten sentenced by judges out in town to have this interlock device put in their car,” said Frantum. “But this is the first time we, as the base, have decided to try something like this for the benefit of the Marine.”
Because the interlock device will not be mandated, the cost would be the service members’ responsibility with installation fees averaging $100 to $200 and typical monthly costs ranging from $75 to $100. Monthly costs would only be for the duration of the driver’s suspension.
The interlock systems would be set to the military’s mandated .05 blood alcohol driving limit.
“A lot of people have heard the legal limit for a driver’s blood alcohol content to be .08, but for military installations its .05, a huge difference,” said Davis.
Breathalyzer technology that tests drivers for several other driver-impairing substances is also being considered by the base.
Details for mandating the interlock system are still in the works, but base officials remain hopeful for a target start date of early next year.
“As with any holiday season there is going to be a lot of celebrating, but just remember don’t drink and drive,” said Frantum. “A cab ride might cost you 20 to 50 bucks, but a DUI is going to cost you five or 10 thousand dollars.”