Drunken drivers in DeKalb County now have a higher price to pay if caught driving under the influence of alcohol – a possible forfeiture of their vehicle.

A person will have his or her vehicle taken away and sold if caught under the following circumstances: driving with a suspended license, having a prior DUI, convicted in the past of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, reckless homicide, or if they are currently charged with a DUI and are driving on a suspended permit.

Although it is a new law in DeKalb County, it has been a state law since last fall.

There were 154 arrests in DeKalb last year for driving under the influence.

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said it’s good more counties are accepting the state law.

“Prior to the law, you couldn’t do much of anything,” Scott said. “Police would tow and house the vehicle for 24 hours.”

DeKalb police officer Burton Johnson thinks the law will be a more effective deterrent.

“It’s certainly something for the people to think about,” Johnson said. “You’ll lose your vehicle and have to pay off any liens.”

After a vehicle is seized, it is sold at an auction, with proceeds given to the agency that arrested the driver.

“If that isn’t enough of a deterrent to not drive drunk, there isn’t anything we can do,” Johnson said.

Sarah Ilg, a junior art education major, thinks more could be done to prevent drunken drivers.

“I think it’s going to make a lot of people mad, but it’s a good thing,” she said. “Except, some people have really bad cars and that won’t be enough. What if the vehicle is only worth $200?”

If a person isn’t driving a vehicle they own, the vehicle may not be taken away.

If a person took the vehicle without permission, the vehicle won’t be seized, but if a person knowingly lent the person their vehicle, it most likely will be taken.

“If you lent the vehicle to a person knowing their license is revoked, you can get arrested as well,” Johnson said.

Scott said the law is mainly for people who don’t follow the provisions of their first offense.

“The intent of the law is really aimed at those people who ignore suspensions and having their license revoked,” he said. “Hopefully it has a deterrent impact, since it is something more physical.”

Scott said sometimes people convicted of a DUI get a permit to drive to work, but if it’s their second offense, they won’t have a vehicle to drive.

Those convicted will have many fines to pay and it is likely that a offender will pay thousands of dollars, Johnson said.