New York Now Has Toughest Drunk Driving Law

NY1

Something crazy happened in Albany this week: The Assembly passed a bill, then the Senate passed their version of the bill, and then Governor David Paterson signed it into law—all in two days! Yesterday New York instituted the nation's toughest drunk driving law, making it a felony to drive intoxicated with a passenger 15 years old or under. The bill, "Leandra's Law," was named for the 11-year-old New York girl killed in a DWI crash on the West Side Highway last month. At the signing yesterday, Leandra's father Lenny Rosado vowed to take his crusade to Washington and pass the law on the federal level:

From here on, those that think it’s OK to drink and drive - with children in the car or not - will pay the price...This is not going to be where I stop. I'm going to go out there to as many people as I can and educate them about this terrible disease we have out there...and hopefully we can take it all the way up straight to the White House.

Senate President Malcolm Smith told Rosado, "I don’t know how you stand it. I’m not sure, as a father of a 16-year-old, that I could be standing here if I had befallen the challenge that you have… We stand behind you. If you move this to be a national crusade, know that under leader Sampson and myself we stand to move with you." Leandra died October 11th when an allegedly drunk adult crashed a van full of children, killing her and injuring her six friends. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told reporters, "It is tragic that it had to take the loss of Leandra Rosado's life in order for this to come to our attention and for action to be taken."

Both houses also passed the Authorities Reform Bill Wednesday, which is meant to bring increased transparency to the state's authorities, NY1 reports. But there is still no deal to close the state's $3.2 billion budget deficit. A frustrated Paterson said yesterday, "I don't know how people are walking around here saying we are close to a deal. I don't know people think they are leaving here and I don't know why it is so difficult to understand we have a fiduciary responsibility to the state of New York... and the only way to reduce this deficit are real, recurring cuts."

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By John Del Signore in News on November 19, 2009 10:29 AM

Comments [rss]

i_ionut

We need this kind of law in Romania too. We have a lot of drunk drivers all over the country.

GaryK

if the child is under 15 and gay would it be considered a hate crime?

Splicer

Good. People know the rules and the law. If they choose to break it then it's all on them.

felixthecat2

Under Leandra's law, first-time offenders with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more or under the influence of drugs, and with a child age 15 or under in the vehicle, will automatically have their drivers license suspended, will have to install a ignition interlock device in their car and may be charged with a Class E felony punishable up to four years in prison.

HOTCUP

i don't know how drunk people tend to be at .08, but that seems rather harsh..

Mordicai

"Only a LITTLE drunk!" is a really crummy defense when you kill a kid.

handsomedevil

Does it include the manditory interlock breathalizer in your car after the first offense?

Of course, now they've got to fix the big delay on blood tests, since everybody knows about it now.

Mordicai

Suck it, drivers!

(I don't have anything substantial to add.)

Snoopy

"City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told reporters, "It is tragic that it had to take the loss of Leandra Rosado's life in order for this to come to our attention..."

Duh? Where has this fat bitch been for the last forty years?

felixthecat2

Fat bitch is up Bloomberg's ass. Her brain damage is probably due to the lack of oxygen.

DarkGemini

Two things:

One:

Leandra died October 11th when an allegedly drunk adult crashed a van Mercury Sable full of children, killing her and injuring her six friends.
Mercury Sable is a 4 door sedan, last I checked.

Two:

What does the Authorities Reform Bill have to do with Leandra's Law? I know us commenters tend to go on a tangent whenever we have the opportunity, however that doesn't make it OK for you to do the same, JDS.

This law is definitely a step in the right direction. Kudos to Albany for getting something right.

verbal

DWI should be a 1 strike offense; mandatory jail time, revocation of license, and then require them to retake their road tests.

felixthecat2

,making it a felony to drive intoxicated with a passenger 15 years old or under. They should make drunk driving a felony regardless of the passenger.