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The vehicle used in the commission of a person's second or subsequent conviction of § 55-10-401, or the second or subsequent conviction of any combination of § 55-10-401, and a statute in any other state prohibiting driving under the influence of an intoxicant, is subject to seizure and forfeiture in accordance with the procedure established in title 40, chapter 33, part 2. The department of safety is designated as the applicable agency, as defined by § 40-33-202, for all forfeitures authorized by this section.
In order for subsection (a) to be applicable to a vehicle, the conviction making the vehicle subject to seizure and forfeiture must occur in Tennessee and at least one (1) of the previous convictions must have occurred within five (5) years of the current conviction.
It is the specific intent that a forfeiture action under this section shall serve a remedial and not a punitive purpose. The purpose of the forfeiture of a vehicle after a person's second or subsequent DUI conviction is to prevent unscrupulous or incompetent persons from driving on Tennessee's highways while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs endangers the lives of innocent people who are exercising the same privilege of riding on the state's highways. There is a reasonable connection between the remedial purpose of this section, ensuring safe roads, and the forfeiture of a motor vehicle. While this section may serve as a deterrent to the conduct of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it is nonetheless intended as a remedial measure. Moreover, the statute serves to remove a dangerous instrument from the hands of individuals who have demonstrated a pattern of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Only POST-certified or state-commissioned law enforcement officers will be authorized to seize these vehicles under this section.