New DUI Regulations are Among Toughest in Country
By: WROC-TV
Updated: September 26, 2012
New York drivers who get caught drinking and driving now face one of the toughest penalties in the U.S. This year an estimated 20 thousand of them could lose their driver's licenses forever.
A new regulation allows the state DMV to review a driver's lifetime record when they apply to get their license back. If a driver has 5 or more convictions, or 3 or more serious offenses in the past 25 years, their license can be taken away permanently.
Peggy Duffy is Monroe County's "Stop DWI" coordinator. She lost her sister to a repeat DWI offender more than 20 years ago. Her agency's been working on this for years, she says it's about time.
"It will make a difference for 20,000 people that are out there right now that have been disobeying the law. But again we are educated we know driving under the influence can kill if people are still choosing to do so. People need to be accountable for their actions," Duffy says.
Last year there were about three thousand DWI arrests in Monroe County, close to 800 were repeat offenders. The new regulations are already in place.
A new regulation allows the state DMV to review a driver's lifetime record when they apply to get their license back. If a driver has 5 or more convictions, or 3 or more serious offenses in the past 25 years, their license can be taken away permanently.
Peggy Duffy is Monroe County's "Stop DWI" coordinator. She lost her sister to a repeat DWI offender more than 20 years ago. Her agency's been working on this for years, she says it's about time.
"It will make a difference for 20,000 people that are out there right now that have been disobeying the law. But again we are educated we know driving under the influence can kill if people are still choosing to do so. People need to be accountable for their actions," Duffy says.
Last year there were about three thousand DWI arrests in Monroe County, close to 800 were repeat offenders. The new regulations are already in place.
