In one important respect, Pennsylvania just became a safer state.

Tougher penalties for repeat DUI offenders are about to become state law. A Senate bill received final votes in both chambers last week. Gov. Tom Wolf says he plans to sign it.

Under the new law, for the first time a repeat drunk driver in Pennsylvania can be charged with a felony. The felony count would apply to those with a third conviction of driving with at least twice the legal limit of alcohol in their system and for anyone with four or more DUI convictions.

The legislation also establishes more severe penalties, including longer mandatory jail time, for unintentionally causing the death of another person as a result of a repeat DUI violation.

The current minimum sentence is three years in prison for homicide by vehicle while DUI, regardless of offender’s DUI history. Under the new law, those convicted of a prior DUI face a minimum 5 years imprisonment; 7 years with two or more prior DUI convictions.

The more stringent penalties are a badly needed update. Statistics show repeat DUI offenders are responsible for about 40 percent of all DUI-related fatalities; while in 2016, more than 10,000 individuals were convicted of their second or subsequent DUI in Pennsylvania.

Other state statistics, compiled by the activist groups Pennsylvania Parents Against Impaired Drivers and Pennsylvania DUI Association, include:

- An estimated 70,000 to 105,000 individuals with DUI convictions continue to drive on a suspended license.

- There are more than 50,000 new DUI cases annually.

- On average in each of the past eight years, there are more than 12,000 impaired crashes, resulting in 8,700 injuries and 320 deaths.

- Pennsylvania is consistently ranked as one of the most lenient states for DUI laws. That includes ranking as the 5th-most lenient state for criminal DUI penalties, as well as the most lenient state for driving-under-suspension penalties.

- There were 10,346 alcohol-related crashes in 2017, an increase from 10,256 crashes in 2016. There were 293 alcohol-related crash fatalities in 2017 and 297 fatalities in 2016.

- 18 percent of 2017 driver fatalities in the 16-20 age group were DUI-related, up from 12 percent in 2016. In the 21 to 25 age group, 31 percent of the driver fatalities were DUI in 2017, up from 29 percent in 2016.

The statistics suggest that existing state penalties do little to deter many Pennsylvanians from the risks of driving drunk.

When the existing rules don’t deter drivers from putting the public at widespread risk of wrecks and injury, then increased the penalties becomes the most obvious and most sensible option.