A Baja California state legislator from Mexicali announced plans to introduce tougher drunk driving penalties, including mandatory license suspension and prison sentences of up to three years for repeat offenders.
Jaime Eduardo Cantón Rocha, a Morena party member of the Baja California State Congress, said his proposal would suspend the driver’s license of anyone caught driving drunk or impaired in Mexicali. Under current law, impaired drivers face fines but can often avoid license suspension.
Prison for Repeat Offenders
The most significant change targets repeat offenders. Cantón Rocha’s proposal calls for three months to three years in prison for anyone caught driving drunk a second time within a three-year window. That sentence would apply even if the driver caused no injuries or property damage.
“If there is a repeat offense, if there is a second time you are caught driving drunk within a period of three years after the first time you were detained, it would be three months to three years in prison, even if there is no damage to third parties or their property,” Cantón Rocha explained, according to La Voz de la Frontera.
Deadly Crashes Prompt Action
The lawmaker said recent fatal crashes prompted the legislation. Three young people were killed in a drunk driving accident in Valle de Misiones, a residential development in southern Mexicali. A separate alcohol-related fatality occurred earlier the same week.
Cantón Rocha also called for stricter requirements for issuing driver’s licenses. He said that in some cases the only practical driving test consists of circling the block once. He wants the licensing process overhauled to include more rigorous evaluation.
More Checkpoints Requested
The legislator said he has already approached Mexicali’s municipal government to request more sobriety checkpoints staffed by officers from the Dirección de Seguridad Pública Municipal (municipal public safety department). He wants those checkpoints equipped with breathalyzers, which are not always available at current roadblocks.
In most Mexican states, the legal blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.08%. Penalties for exceeding the limit typically include detention for 20 to 36 hours, vehicle impoundment, and fines. Cantón Rocha’s proposal would layer state prison time on top of those existing consequences for drivers who offend more than once.
The proposal has not yet been formally introduced in the state congress. No timeline for a vote has been announced. First reported by Jornada BC and La Voz de la Frontera.