Mothers Against Drunk Driving Gives High Marks to New York in Its “Report to the Nation”
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the state of New York ranks well in its evaluation of how states are combating drunk driving, receiving four out of five stars. The evaluation comes from MADD’s “Report to the Nation,” an examination of how the country is faring in its efforts to eliminate drunk driving nationwide. The report was released on the fifth year anniversary of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.
The evaluations are based on five criteria that MADD believes every state should support in its laws, with each being represented by a star that comprises the rating. The five stars are for:
- Ignition interlocks for every first-time drunk driving conviction;
- Sobriety checkpoints held by state and local officials;
- Administrative License Revocation, allowing law enforcement to immediately revoke driving privileges of drunk driving suspects;
- Felony charges for drunk driving with a child in the vehicle; and
- No refusal events, using judges and official warrants to crack down on drivers who refuse to take blood alcohol content (BAC) tests.
New York meets all of these criteria except for no refusal occasions. These special time periods are highly publicized events where judges stay on call to issue warrants for police to administer BAC tests to those who refuse. These crackdowns are meant to deter drivers from refusing the test, which often makes drunk driving arrests much more complicated.
Out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., only five states received a five star rating, five received only one star, and the national average was three out of five. Drunk driving takes its toll on both lives and finances as the report found that $132 billion in costs arose from drunk driving accidents in 2009.
While New York has more penalties for drunk driving than many other states, these incidents still occur frequently and can cause serious harm to victims. If you have been injured by a drunk driver in New York, please contact the New York drunk driving victim attorneys with Wingate, Russoti & Shapiro. Our skilled law team can get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today at (212) 222-4336.
