April 19, 2011

REP. GENGA SERVING ON DMV COMMITTEE STUDYING PEOPLE
DRIVING WITH MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS, SUSPENDED LICENSES

State Rep. Henry Genga (D-East Hartford) is serving on a special Department of Motor Vehicles committee that is examining ways to reduce the number of people who have multiple motor vehicle violations and license suspensions and are still driving.

DMV Commissioner Melody A. Currey created the committee, saying that she wanted a full review of multiple offenders.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the kinds of solutions we can propose when many stakeholders in this issue put their heads together,” Currey said.

Rep. Genga said he was happy to be chosen to serve on the committee.

“We are looking at everything to solve the problem of people getting behind the wheel when they’ve had their licenses suspended,” Genga said. “We’re trying to change the behavior of these violators and get them to respect the law and our fellow citizens – the 95 percent of drivers who obey the law.”

The committee is examining relevant statistics, analyzing current laws and regulations, and studying what kinds of actions can be a deterrent to the behavior leading to multiple suspensions and violations. The study is expected to be completed in a few weeks.

At present license holders usually receive a suspension either as a result of a court conviction mandating a license suspension or for failing to appear in court on a motor vehicle-related charge. Suspensions can also result from judges' orders as a condition of bail or probation.

There also are drivers with habitual multiple violations and under certain circumstances DMV can suspend their licenses. State regulation (14-137-82) authorizes a 30-day suspension for a history of unsafe operation of a motor vehicle. Under this section, on the fourth conviction for specific moving violations that occur within a two-year period DMV can impose this 30-day suspension. At present about 130,000 Connecticut license operators are under suspension, which is about 5 percent of the state's 2.6 million licensed drivers.

Also named to the committee: Sue Archambault, Department of Motor Vehicles; Mike Bzdyra, Department of Motor Vehicles; Deputy Commissioner Victor Diaz, Department of Motor Vehicles; Larry D’Orsi, State Judicial Department; Kathy Flanagan-Beal, Department of Motor Vehicles; Stacey Manware, State Judicial Department; Chief Richard Mulhall, Newington Police Department; Tom Ruby, Department of Motor Vehicles; David Scribner, state Representative; Lt. Mark Sticca, Department of Public Safety; George White, Department of Motor Vehicles.