Repeat Drunk Drivers Cause Of Concern In New York

April 25, 2012

Statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving show that the average drunk driver has driven under the influence approximately 80 times before his or her first arrest. They also found that 50 to 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue driving on suspended licenses.

Take, for instance, a 38-year-old man who was arrested in Eerie County, New York, Tuesday evening after being caught driving while more than four times over the legal blood alcohol limit. WIVB 4 News says that the man was pulled over on Grand Island Boulevard after a license plate scanner showed he was driving on a suspended license. He then failed several field sobriety tests, including a Breathalyzer that showed his blood alcohol content to be .29 percent. Since the man had a previous DWI charge from 2004, he will now face a count of felony DWI.

Another man is also facing felony DWI charges after he was caught driving intoxicated with children in the car. Because those children were younger than 16-years-old, under Leandra’s Law, the DUI charge becomes a felony.

Lawmakers are battling the problem of repeat drunk drivers by considering more severe punishments for offenders, which could include the mandatory installation of an ignition interlock system on offender’s vehicles.

The Car Accident Lawyers with the William Mattar Law Offices ask that you always use a designated driver to get home safely after consuming alcohol, rather than driving yourself home.