There’s an online registry in Ohio that identifies habitual drunk drivers but recently, there have been cases where there have been gaps in that database. Staff Lieutenant Anne Ralston of the Ohio State Highway Patrol says the agency has upgraded the registry so that it compiles up to date information automatically from already existing electronic records.
“Prior to the revamp of the system, we only had 348 people who were habitual offenders who were being captured on the registry. Now after the revamp, we have over 5300 habitual offenders on the registry.”
The registry includes people who have been convicted at least five times of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the past two decades. It does not include out of state convictions. Some, but not all, of the people on the registry have permanently lost their driving privileges. Ralston says Ohioans are urged to go to the Ohio Highway Patrol’s website to check out the names on the Habitual Offender Registry. She says that information will help warn Ohioans about people in their community who have a chronic problem with drinking and driving.