Limits on drunken driving lawsuits stir controversy at Iowa Capitol

Legislation to limit lawsuits against businesses serving alcoholic beverages to drunken drivers advanced Thursday in the Iowa House and Senate despite arguments it could lead to more traffic crashes and deaths.

House Study Bill 594 and Senate Study Bill 1179 say that damages awarded to an innocent third party would be capped at $75,000 for claims involving injury to a person or property. They would set a limit of $100,000 for claims involving loss of means of support or loss of services, companionship, society or consortium resulting from the death or injury of a person.

The Iowa Restaurant Association is leading a lobbying initiative for the bills, saying so-called "Dram Shop" insurance is more costly for Iowa restaurants and bars than neighboring states. That's happening despite comprehensive training for servers to avoid serving intoxicated patrons and other efforts to keep impaired drivers off the roads, such as calling ride-hailing services for patrons when necessary.

"At the end of the day, who is the person responsible? It is the person behind the wheel," said Jessica Dunker, president and chief executive officer of the Iowa Restaurant Association. "We are trying to do everything that we can to stop them in a responsible way.”

Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/01/limits-drunken-driving-lawsuits-stir-controversy-iowa-capitol/1086773001/