Convicted NY Drunk Drivers Need Ignition Interlocks

pickens writes "Starting yesterday in New York state, anyone sentenced for felony or misdemeanor DWI, whether a first-time or repeat offender, will have to install an ignition interlock in any vehicle they own or operate. The interlock contains a breath-checking unit that keeps the car from starting if the offender's blood-alcohol level registers 0.025 or higher, a little less than one-third of the legal limit. 'The addition of ignition interlocks will save lives in New York state,' says State Probation Director Robert Maccarone, who led the team that wrote the regulation. 'It's been proven in other states. New Mexico realized a 37 percent reduction in DWI recidivism.' Whether that will be enough to persuade more people to take a cab or find a designated driver is unknown. 'It's one more thing to make people think, it may help — it may keep a few people from getting behind the wheel,' says Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh."

Comments

Re:To Answer Logistic Questions

[ACS Solver]

I'd mod you up if I had mod points now. Wanted to say the same thing. First offense should be several years of license suspension and a considerable fine, second offense should mean you're never allowed to drive again. I'm not American so I don't have experience in that car-based society but I don't buy the argument that sometimes you just have to drive. There are other transport options or driver options. If you feel like you must drive, don't drink.

I looked up some stats recently and was surprised. Over a million people worldwide die yearly in car accidents. Various sources give estimates that drunk driving causes from 30% to 65% of traffic deaths. Apparently in the USA, some 11 thousand people died from drunk driving accidents in 2008. Hell, that's more than the amount of Americans who died on 9/11 plus American deaths in Afghanistan and in Iraq up until now. Drunk drivers are responsible for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands deaths worldwide every year. Those are unnecessary, preventable deaths - they only happen because some fucker decides it's okay to drive after drinking. Why is it that society generally doesn't call for harsher treatment? And this includes USA, where sentencing for many offenses is quite strict (too strict I'd say).

Defeated by a plastic bag!

[7-Vodka]

is it me, or is this a stupid idea considering anyone with a plastic bag and a fitting can defeat this thing.