National MADD president praises tougher DUI laws

By By Stephanie Denham / staff writer
April 4, 2002
JACKSON The national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving praised Mississippi legislators Wednesday for tightening the state's laws against driving under the influence of alcohol.
Millie Webb, in town for a news conference to mark approval of the law, said it will save more lives in Mississippi which became the 32nd state to approve tougher DUI laws.
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove signed into law last month a bill that will lower the threshold for DUI arrests from .10 percent blood alcohol content to .08 percent. The law takes effect July 1.
Federal law requires states to approve a .08 percent DUI standard by Oct. 1, 2003, or face the loss of 2 percent of their federal highway construction funds each year to a maximum of 8 percent by 2007.
On Wednesday, Musgrove, Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, legislators and law enforcement officers joined Webb in the state Capitol to tout the new law and talk about how it will help the state.
Webb is no stranger to the DUI issue.
She, herself, was a victim of 1971 DUI crash in which a man with a .08 blood alcohol content slammed into her car killing her 4-year-old daughter and 19-month-old nephew.
Webb and her husband were severely burned. In fact, Webb's injuries were so serious that the unborn daughter she was carrying was taken by Caesarean section prematurely and born legally blind.
Webb has been involved in MADD since 1980. She has been national president since 2000; her term expires in June.
Musgrove stood by Webb's side as she spoke about her crash and the aftermath. Afterward, he also praised legislators for finally approving stiffer DUI laws.