ALBANY – The Cuomo administration is cracking down on repeat drunk
drivers — but hasn’t gone far enough to make Mothers Against Drunk Driving
happy.
New regulations would make it more difficult for people convicted multiple times of driving drunk to get their licenses back.
“We are saying enough is enough to those who have chronically abused their driving privileges and threatened the safety of other drivers, passengers and pedestrians,” Cuomo said.
Under current law, drivers convicted of multiple alcohol or drug related driving offenses don’t permanently lose their licenses unless they also have two convictions involving accidents that caused injury or death.
Under the new regulations, the Department of Motor Vehicles can deny a license reinstatement request if a person has five DWI convictions or more in his lifetime or three such convictions along with another serious driving offense over 25 years. The agency can also require a breathalzyer-type device
New regulations would make it more difficult for people convicted multiple times of driving drunk to get their licenses back.
“We are saying enough is enough to those who have chronically abused their driving privileges and threatened the safety of other drivers, passengers and pedestrians,” Cuomo said.
Under current law, drivers convicted of multiple alcohol or drug related driving offenses don’t permanently lose their licenses unless they also have two convictions involving accidents that caused injury or death.
Under the new regulations, the Department of Motor Vehicles can deny a license reinstatement request if a person has five DWI convictions or more in his lifetime or three such convictions along with another serious driving offense over 25 years. The agency can also require a breathalzyer-type device
LANSING — Two faces gazed from
behind each of the speakers that took to the lectern on the Capitol steps
Tuesday morning, urging lawmakers to move on a bill that would ban young
drivers from using their cell phones behind the wheel.
The faces of Kelsey Rafaelle and Ally Zimmerman looked out from behind glass and within frames, examples of two of the hundreds of lives lost each year by distracted driving.
Ally, of Romeo, was just 16 when she was killed by another teen driver who was distracted and ran into the vehicle she was riding in, and Kelsey, of Sault Ste. Marie, was 17 when she died in a traffic crash while talking on her cell phone.
Senate Bill 756, or Kelsey’s Law, would ban Michigan teen drivers with a level 1 or level 2 driver’s license from using a cell phone while driving.
The bill’s supporters, led by Kelsey’s mother Bonnie Rafaelle and including a variety of agencies, organizations and officials, expressed frustration with what they say is stalled progress on the law.
It has passed the Senate, and is sitting in the House of Representatives’ Transportation Committee, said Ari Adler, spokesman for Speaker of the House Jase Bolger
The faces of Kelsey Rafaelle and Ally Zimmerman looked out from behind glass and within frames, examples of two of the hundreds of lives lost each year by distracted driving.
Ally, of Romeo, was just 16 when she was killed by another teen driver who was distracted and ran into the vehicle she was riding in, and Kelsey, of Sault Ste. Marie, was 17 when she died in a traffic crash while talking on her cell phone.
Senate Bill 756, or Kelsey’s Law, would ban Michigan teen drivers with a level 1 or level 2 driver’s license from using a cell phone while driving.
The bill’s supporters, led by Kelsey’s mother Bonnie Rafaelle and including a variety of agencies, organizations and officials, expressed frustration with what they say is stalled progress on the law.
It has passed the Senate, and is sitting in the House of Representatives’ Transportation Committee, said Ari Adler, spokesman for Speaker of the House Jase Bolger
State DMV Commissioner Barbara
Fiala was joined by law enforcement officials in the Blue Room on Tuesday to
announce tougher regulations for people convicted of multiple alcohol- or
drug-related offenses that are designed to help keep them off the road for
good.
The changes, issued by DMV as “emergency regulations,” take several forms — as described in the press release:
Lifetime Record Review by DMV: DMV will be able to review the lifetime record of all drivers who apply to have a license reinstated after a revocation.
Truly Permanent License Revocation for Persistently Drunk & Dangerous Drivers: After conducting a lifetime record review, DMV will deny any application for reinstatement of a license after revocation if the applicant has:
Five or more alcohol or drug related driving convictions in his or her lifetime, or
Three or more alcohol or drug related driving convictions in the last 25 years plus at least one other serious driving offense during that period. A serious driving offense includes: a fatal crash, a driving-related penal law conviction, an accumulation of 20 or more points assessed for driving violations within the last 25 years, or having two or more driving convictions each worth five points or higher.
Delayed Re-Licensing, Driving Restrictions, & Interlocks for Other Drivers with Repeated Alcohol- or Drug-Related Driving Convictions: For those drivers seeking reinstatement of a license after revocation who have three or four alcohol or drug related convictions but no serious driving offense in the last 25 years, DMV will:
Deny their applications for five years beyond their statutory revocation period if the applicant’s license was revoked for an alcohol or drug related offense; or two additional years if the applicant’s license was revoked for a reason other than an alcohol or drug related offense;
Restore the applicant’s license after that additional period as a “restricted” license limiting the applicant’s driving to, for example, travel to and from work or medical visits; and
For those drivers whose revocations stem from an alcohol-related offense, require an interlock on the vehicle driven by the applicant for five years
The changes, issued by DMV as “emergency regulations,” take several forms — as described in the press release:
Lifetime Record Review by DMV: DMV will be able to review the lifetime record of all drivers who apply to have a license reinstated after a revocation.
Truly Permanent License Revocation for Persistently Drunk & Dangerous Drivers: After conducting a lifetime record review, DMV will deny any application for reinstatement of a license after revocation if the applicant has:
Five or more alcohol or drug related driving convictions in his or her lifetime, or
Three or more alcohol or drug related driving convictions in the last 25 years plus at least one other serious driving offense during that period. A serious driving offense includes: a fatal crash, a driving-related penal law conviction, an accumulation of 20 or more points assessed for driving violations within the last 25 years, or having two or more driving convictions each worth five points or higher.
Delayed Re-Licensing, Driving Restrictions, & Interlocks for Other Drivers with Repeated Alcohol- or Drug-Related Driving Convictions: For those drivers seeking reinstatement of a license after revocation who have three or four alcohol or drug related convictions but no serious driving offense in the last 25 years, DMV will:
Deny their applications for five years beyond their statutory revocation period if the applicant’s license was revoked for an alcohol or drug related offense; or two additional years if the applicant’s license was revoked for a reason other than an alcohol or drug related offense;
Restore the applicant’s license after that additional period as a “restricted” license limiting the applicant’s driving to, for example, travel to and from work or medical visits; and
For those drivers whose revocations stem from an alcohol-related offense, require an interlock on the vehicle driven by the applicant for five years
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