SENATE PASSES BILL TO CRACK DOWN ON DRUNK DRIVERS

Bill Would Require Offenders to 
Take a Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course

    The New York State Senate today passed legislation (S.4740C), sponsored by Senator Owen H. Johnson (R-C, Babylon), that would require certain drivers convicted of drunk driving to take a motor vehicle accident prevention course. 

The bill requires drivers convicted of a drunk driving offense to take the motor vehicle accident prevention course if they are convicted of drunk driving, or refuse to take a chemical test, or have accumulated more than six points on their license.

“Programs for drunk driver rehabilitation have proven very effective in reducing the number of drunk driving violations,” Senator Johnson said.  “This added component to the DWI or DUID penalty will help to educate and to deter our most dangerous traffic violators from repeating their crimes.

    This new legislation also mandates that a person who takes the Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course as a condition of sentencing may not use the course as a means to have license points reduced.  To obtain the benefit of a point reduction, an offender may repeat the course.

     The bill was sent to the Assembly.