New York Drunk Driving Lawyer Reports New NY DWI Laws

In the last two years, New York has passed tough new legislation against drunk driving. On November 1, 2007, new felony penalties for aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault went into effect. These allow judges to put drunk drivers in jail for up to 25 years in cases involving vehicular homicide and 15 years in cases involving vehicular assault.

Legislation passed in 2006 included tougher penalties for those who refuse to take a police-administered breathalyzer test, and a requirement that offenders with a blood alcohol content of above .18 (well above the .08 threshold that defines intoxication) install an ignition interlock system while they are on probation.

In addition, the law requires that every person arrested for driving while intoxicated be screened or assessed for a drug or alcohol abuse problem before their case is resolved. Drug treatment is mandatory for those who test positive and are not sentenced to jail.

463 New Yorkers were killed by drunk drivers in 2006. That is down 5% from 2005. 13,000 people were killed across the United States in 2006.

(Sources: New York State Legislature On-line bill search and Automobile Club of New York)