AUGUSTA, Maine — A new state Senate bill was introduced to hold drunk drivers responsible for the costs of emergency services if they cause an accident.
The legislation, introduced by Senate President Mike Thibodeau, would hold drivers convicted of driving under the influence responsible for paying up to $5,000 in emergency response costs, WABI-TV reported.
“We want to make sure that when people are making bad decisions, they’re the ones paying for it and not the property tax payer from that municipality,” Thibodeau said.
Fire Chief Craig Shane, Dedham/Lucerne Fire Department, spoke in support of the bill. “During these incidents, all other parties such as tow companies, storage facilities, body shops, ambulance services, and even LifeFlight of Maine are billing for their services. Why shouldn’t we have the ability to?”