Relatives of two Nebraska couples killed by a drunken driver near Albuquerque, N.M., marked the six-year anniversary of the tragedy by promoting a bill to make ignition interlock devices mandatory for those convicted of DUI in Nebraska.

Larry and Rita Beller of Lindsay and Alice and Edward “Bud” Ramaekers of Norfolk died Jan. 25, 2002, when their car was hit by a man driving on the wrong side of the freeway.

The man who hit their car had been drinking and had four prior DUI convictions.

Friday, Jerry Beller, who lost his brother and sister-in-law in the crash, said the sixth anniversary was a sad day for his family.

“But it’s a good day, too,” in that this bill is before the Legislature, he said at a news conference at the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

“With the passage of this bill into law, lives will be spared and the heartache of many will be silent,” Beller said.

Lincoln Sen. Tony Fulton said the tragedy compelled New Mexico lawmakers to pass the first mandatory ignition interlock legislation in the country. Three other states followed suit.

Now it’s Nebraska’s turn, he said.

This week, Fulton introduced a bill (LB736) to require the installation of an ignition interlock device  in the vehicle of every person who drives drunk in Nebraska.

Judges have the option now of ordering offenders to have such devices installed. The bill, if passed, would require it.

An offender who disobeyed a judge’s order would be disobeying the law, too.

As proposed, people convicted of first-offense DUI would have their licenses revoked or impounded for 60 days. For the next four months, they could drive a vehicle only if it had a device to detect if the person at the wheel has been drinking.

Offenders with one previous DUI conviction, or with a blood-alcohol content level above 0.015 percent, would lose their driver’s licenses for 120 days, then be eligible to drive with an interlock device for 245 days.

“This is a good idea,” said Fulton. “We move this thing forward, and lives will be saved.”

He said he’s optimistic the bill will go forward.

As proposed, the bill would not require state funds. Fulton said offenders would pay the expense. And the tab for the indigent would be paid by those who aren’t indigent.

Simera Reynolds, executive director of MADD Nebraska, said having the interlock device on a car would cost about $2.30 a day.

“I don’t think that’s too much to ask an offender to pay to ensure the rest of us have safe roads to travel,” she said.

Reynolds said using the device would give offenders an opportunity to stay in touch with family and get to work and get treatment.

Debra Coffey, with Smart Start, a company that makes the devices, said New Mexico has seen a significant decrease in recidivism, up to 35 percent, since the law passed there in 2005.

Last year, Arizona, Illinois and Louisiana followed New Mexico’s lead.

“We believe, and the research already shows, that interlocks will save lives, and that’s what it’s all about,” Coffey said.

Alice Ramaekers’ son, Doug Pfeifer, said he takes comfort in knowing efforts are being made to make the state’s highways and roads safer.

“I think it will take (us) one more step closer to keeping another repeat drunk driver off of the road and protecting all the innocent people out on the highways,” he said.

Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.