A measure that significantly toughens penalties for drunken driving has passed the New York State Assembly and is headed to the upper chamber.
The bill, which could reach the governor’s desk this week, makes it a felony to drive with a child while intoxicated, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
If approved, it would make New York one of only a dozen U.S. states that force drivers convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated to have an interlock device installed.
The device measures the alcohol content of a driver’s breath and prevents the engine from starting if it detects a too-high level.
The push for tougher drinking while intoxicated penalties follows two recent crashes in which children were killed while traveling with adults who had been drinking.
Under the Assembly bill, drivers convicted of being drunk while carrying passengers 15 years or younger could face up to four years in prison.
1 response so far ↓
1 Justin J McShane, Esquire // Nov 21, 2009 at 5:11 pm
It seems to me that Ignition Interlock Devices (IID) are not necessarily the solution. Here is why in about 3 sentences. A super-majority of these first time offenders statistically according to NHTSA’s own research do not typically re-offend within the period of even the nation’s longest period for imposition of a loss of license even with the extended interlock. So, the question becomes why implement IIDs? Money. The IID industry is all in private hands and makes a lot of money. I mean a lot.
-Justin J. McShane, Esquire, PA DUI Attorney
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