MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) - Wisconsin lawmakers introduced legislation at a public hearing Wednesday aimed at reducing drunk driving deaths and repeat Operating While Intoxicated offenders by expanding ignition interlock device requirements and closing loopholes in current law.

Senate Bill 248 would allow people convicted of operating while intoxicated to get a restricted license sooner after installing an ignition interlock device. The bill also would require people to use their device for 180 days without tampering or trying to bypass it.

The proposal comes after 182 people died in Wisconsin crashes where alcohol was a factor in 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency’s data shows 31% of crashes in Wisconsin in 2023 were alcohol-related.

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