Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 23 : Section 410


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 410. Alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures

      (a) General Authority. - 
        (1) Authority to make grants. - Subject to the requirements of
      this section, the Secretary shall make grants to States that
      adopt and implement effective programs to reduce traffic safety
      problems resulting from individuals driving while under the
      influence of alcohol. Such grants may only be used by recipient
      States to implement and enforce such programs.
        (2) Maintenance of effort. - No grant may be made to a State
      under this section in any fiscal year unless the State enters
      into such agreements with the Secretary as the Secretary may
      require to ensure that the State will maintain its aggregate
      expenditures from all other sources for alcohol traffic safety
      programs at or above the average level of such expenditures in
      its 2 fiscal years preceding the date of enactment of the
      Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.
        (3) Maximum period of eligibility. - No State may receive
      grants under this section in more than 7 fiscal years beginning
      after September 30, 1997.
        (4) Federal share. - The Federal share of the cost of
      implementing and enforcing in a fiscal year a program adopted by
      a State pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not exceed - 
          (A) in each of the first and second fiscal years in which the
        State receives a grant under this section, 75 percent;
          (B) in each of the third and fourth fiscal years in which the
        State receives a grant under this section, 50 percent; and
          (C) in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh fiscal years in
        which the State receives a grant under this section, 25
        percent.

      (b) Basic Grant Eligibility. - 
        (1) Basic grant a. - A State shall become eligible for a grant
      under this paragraph by adopting or demonstrating to the
      satisfaction of the Secretary at least 5 of the following:
          (A) Administrative license revocation. - An administrative
        driver's license suspension or revocation system for
        individuals who operate motor vehicles while under the
        influence of alcohol that requires that - 
            (i) in the case of an individual who, in any 5-year period
          beginning after the date of enactment of the Transportation
          Equity Act for the 21st Century, is determined on the basis
          of a chemical test to have been operating a motor vehicle
          while under the influence of alcohol or is determined to have
          refused to submit to such a test as proposed by a law
          enforcement officer, the State agency responsible for
          administering drivers' licenses, upon receipt of the report
          of the law enforcement officer - 
              (I) shall suspend the driver's license of such individual
            for a period of not less than 90 days if such individual is
            a first offender in such 5-year period; and
              (II) shall suspend the driver's license of such
            individual for a period of not less than 1 year, or revoke
            such license, if such individual is a repeat offender in
            such 5-year period; and

            (ii) the suspension and revocation referred to under clause
          (i) shall take effect not later than 30 days after the day on
          which the individual refused to submit to a chemical test or
          received notice of having been determined to be driving under
          the influence of alcohol, in accordance with the procedures
          of the State.

          (B) Underage drinking program. - An effective system, as
        determined by the Secretary, for preventing operators of motor
        vehicles under age 21 from obtaining alcoholic beverages and
        for preventing persons from making alcoholic beverages
        available to individuals under age 21. Such system may include
        the issuance of drivers' licenses to individuals under age 21
        that are easily distinguishable in appearance from drivers'
        licenses issued to individuals age 21 or older and the issuance
        of drivers' licenses that are tamper resistant.
          (C) Enforcement program. - Either - 
            (i) a statewide program for stopping motor vehicles on a
          nondiscriminatory, lawful basis for the purpose of
          determining whether the operators of such motor vehicles are
          driving while under the influence of alcohol; or
            (ii) a statewide special traffic enforcement program for
          impaired driving that emphasizes publicity for the program.

          (D) Graduated licensing system. - A 3-stage graduated
        licensing system for young drivers that includes nighttime
        driving restrictions during the first 2 stages, requires all
        vehicle occupants to be properly restrained, and makes it
        unlawful for a person under age 21 to operate a motor vehicle
        with a blood alcohol concentration of .02 percent or greater.
          (E) Drivers with high bac. - Programs to target individuals
        with high blood alcohol concentrations who operate a motor
        vehicle. Such programs may include implementation of a system
        of graduated penalties and assessment of individuals convicted
        of driving under the influence of alcohol.
          (F) Young adult drinking programs. - Programs to reduce
        driving while under the influence of alcohol by individuals age
        21 through 34. Such programs may include awareness campaigns;
        traffic safety partnerships with employers, colleges, and the
        hospitality industry; assessments of first-time offenders; and
        incorporation of treatment into judicial sentencing.
          (G) Testing for bac. - An effective system for increasing the
        rate of testing of the blood alcohol concentrations of motor
        vehicle drivers involved in fatal accidents and, in fiscal year
        2001 and each fiscal year thereafter, a rate of such testing
        that is equal to or greater than the national average.

        (2) Basic grant b. - A State shall become eligible for a grant
      under this paragraph by adopting or demonstrating to the
      satisfaction of the Secretary each of the following:
          (A) Fatal impaired driver percentage reduction. - The
        percentage of fatally injured drivers with 0.10 percent or
        greater blood alcohol concentration in the State has decreased
        in each of the 3 most recent calendar years for which
        statistics for determining such percentages are available.
          (B) Fatal impaired driver percentage comparison. - The
        percentage of fatally injured drivers with 0.10 percent or
        greater blood alcohol concentration in the State has been lower
        than the average percentage for all States in each of the
        calendar years referred to in subparagraph (A).

        (3) Basic grant amount. - The amount of a basic grant made to a
      State for a fiscal year under this subsection shall equal up to
      25 percent of the amount apportioned to the State for fiscal year
      1997 under section 402.

      (c) Supplemental Grants. - 
        (1) In general. - Upon receiving an application from a State,
      the Secretary may make supplemental grants to the State for
      meeting 1 or more of the following criteria:
          (A) Video equipment for detection of drunk drivers. - The
        State provides for a program to acquire video equipment to be
        used in detecting persons who operate motor vehicles while
        under the influence of alcohol and in prosecuting those
        persons, and to train personnel in the use of that equipment.
          (B) Self-sustaining drunk driving prevention program. - The
        State provides for a self-sustaining drunk driving prevention
        program under which a significant portion of the fines or
        surcharges collected from individuals apprehended and fined for
        operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol
        are returned to those communities which have comprehensive
        programs for the prevention of such operations of motor
        vehicles.
          (C) Reducing driving with a suspended license. - The State
        enacts and enforces a law to reduce driving with a suspended
        license. Such law, as determined by the Secretary, may require
        a "zebra" stripe that is clearly visible on the license plate
        of any motor vehicle owned and operated by a driver with a
        suspended license.
          (D) Use of passive alcohol sensors. - The State provides for
        a program to acquire passive alcohol sensors to be used by
        police officers in detecting persons who operate motor vehicles
        while under the influence of alcohol, and to train police
        officers in the use of that equipment.
          (E) Effective dwi tracking system. - The State demonstrates
        an effective driving while intoxicated (DWI) tracking system.
        Such a system, as determined by the Secretary, may include data
        covering arrests, case prosecutions, court dispositions and
        sanctions, and provide for the linkage of such data and traffic
        records systems to appropriate jurisdictions and offices within
        the State.
          (F) Other programs. - The State provides for other innovative
        programs to reduce traffic safety problems resulting from
        individuals driving while under the influence of alcohol or
        controlled substances, including programs that seek to achieve
        such a reduction through legal, judicial, enforcement,
        educational, technological, or other approaches.

        (2) Eligibility. - A State shall be eligible to receive a grant
      under this subsection in a fiscal year only if the State is
      eligible to receive a grant under subsection (b) in such fiscal
      year.
        (3) Funding. - Of the amounts made available to carry out this
      section in a fiscal year, not to exceed 10 percent shall be
      available for making grants under this subsection.

      (d) Administrative Expenses. - Funds authorized to be
    appropriated to carry out this section in a fiscal year shall be
    subject to a deduction not to exceed 5 percent for the necessary
    costs of administering the provisions of this section.
      (e) Applicability of Chapter 1. - The provisions contained in
    section 402(d) shall apply to this section.
      (f) Definitions. - In this section, the following definitions
    apply:
        (1) Alcoholic beverage. - The term "alcoholic beverage" has the
      meaning given such term in section 158(c).
        (2) Controlled substances. - The term "controlled substances"
      has the meaning given such term in section 102(6) of the
      Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802(6)).
        (3) Motor vehicle. - The term "motor vehicle" has the meaning
      given such term in section 405.



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