Leandra’s Law Increases Penalties Against Drunk Drivers In New York

March 30, 2012

A new law in New York will make DUI penalties tougher if a child is in the car at the time of the offense.

Leandra’s Law will make it an automatic felony offense to drive with a child 15-years-old or younger in the car with a blood alcohol level higher than .08 percent. The law was created after an 11-year-old girl was killed and six others injured when her friend’s mother flipped a vehicle they were riding in while she was intoxicated.

A person convicted under the law faces up to four years in prison and fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. The driver also will have his or her license suspended until the end of the case. If convicted, the driver will face an additional license suspension of 12 months, at which point an ignition interlock system must be installed in the car for six months before he or she is allowed to drive again.

The Buffalo News reports that a woman was arrested Wednesday on the charge in Kenmore, New York. Officers pulled the 47-year-old woman over at 10:25 p.m. on Kenmore Avenue and arrested her after she failed a field sobriety test. She was charged with aggravated DUI, having an improperly restrained passenger under the age of 7, and driving without a license.

The New York Car Accident Lawyers with William Mattar Injury Lawyers ask that you not drink and drive, especially if children are in the car.