N.Y. Introduces Toughest-in-Nation DUI Law

New York State today enacted some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the country. The crackdown comes after a pair of horrifying crashes involving mothers and children, as CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor reports.

It's a nationwide problem, with nearly 12,000 people killed in drunk driving crashes last year - one fatality every 45 minutes.

The New York bill is named after Leandra Rosado, an 11-year-old New York City girl killed in a crash last month after a friend's mother allegedly drove drunk.

Lenny Rosado lost his only child.

"One of my daughter's favorite holidays is Christmas and I know that date - and I know that's the day I am going to feel her lost a lot," Rosado said sobbing.

Leandra's law gives New York the toughest drunk driving punishments in the country. It's now an automatic felony to drive drunk with a child under 16 in the car - punishable by up to four years in prison, even for first-time offenders.

"This clearly sends the message that drunk driving is not tolerated in New York," said Chuck Hurley, CEO of MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

While men still make up the vast majority of drunk driving cases, a recent report shows the number of women arrested for DUI is up 29 percent over the last 10 years. Studies show women driving drunk who cause fatal crashes are three times as likely to have a child under the age of 14 in the vehicle.

The most horrific example recently: a Long Island mother in July who got into a wrong-way crash on a New York parkway while police say she was drunk and high on marijuana, killing eight people, including her 2-year-old daughter and three nieces.

The New York bill also mandates the use of what are called interlock devices for any convicted offenders. The devices are connected to a car's ignition system and require a breath test before the car will start.

One study found repeat drunken driving offenses dropped 64 percent among those with interlock devices and wider implementation could save 750 lives a year.

None of it, Lenny Rosado knows, will bring back his daughter. But when it comes to tough drunk driving laws, he hopes Leandra's loss will bring historic gains.

[mazal74]

i think laws are good to some extent but if a law was made for everytime someone lost their life we wouldnt be able to leave the house. i left due to the fact that there are to many laws that are abused. they start off for a good reason and are manipulated to increase revenue. for example these poor kids were killed because they're mothers(and it could have been fathers,uncles,ect) drank way over their limit. like a half a bottle of vodka or more. this person deserves this law. but the same punishment would go for the person who drank one or two beers during dinner. left the restaurant forgot to use a directional and got pulled over. they weren't drunk but by the national standard of .08 they just got nailed with a felony because they had their 14 year old with them at dinner. we are all well aware that two beers wont intoxicate someone to the point where they are going to flip a minivan going the wrong way down a parkway but now that someone has everybody gets to pay for it. its all to prove a point and then to make money for all(lawyers,court fees,councelors,ect). my friend died picking up someone who was intoxicated on the thruway (he was a tow truck driver) nobody passed a law about moving over on the highway. it was a huge loss i never really bounced back from. he was 25 ,where was new york then. its like they find one that would gather sympathy and use it to get what will benefit them. who knows that guy might have not really been drunk just blew a little higher than a dui and was very capable of driving himself to his destination. this is all for money, believe me.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

One More Long Island Please and make it a Double !

[hamrick99]

A criminalized populace has no rights....sorry you cant just throw everyone in jail for slight infractions. Or maybe you can...which makes us the most incarcerated population in the world.

[ajvw]

would have been nice if cBS had aleast told us what the law says

[Dgunner]

Anyone and everyone who has ever drank alcohol and then after having a few and then smokes knows that marijuana enhances the effects of alcohol. I believe this is one of the major blockades in getting marijuana legalized.The breath analyzers should be engineered to detect marijuana and evryone who smokes after marijuana may or may not become legal should be made to step up sign up and be made to purchase one for thier vehicles.I personally know to by pass the blow function of the blow and go devices. I will not divulge this on this site as it would give the drunk driver a deadly secret only known by a few.The only true way to avoid this secret to eventually be uncovered is to redsign the device to read eye pupils and verify DNA at the same time.Has anyone other than myself ever noticed that the dwi fatalities that occur with a blow and go device installed in the autos in question at the time are NEVER reported.

[love2ridend]

Should of had tough laws like this when the greatest liberal of them all Ted "the drunk" Kennedy murdered a person.

[I_am_me1953]

Gee whizz.......


The man is dead and you can't prosecute him now so why not let it go?

[6thfairway]

About time! If this saves one life its worth it. If people want to party, drink, have fun,...fine as long as you do it safely--designated driver, or stay the night, stay home, etc. One life lost is too much of a cost to pay so someone can get behind a wheel that had a few drinks because they think they aren't impaired.

[nor-one]

Let's think about this, you kill 12,000 people a year by driving drunk and the best you can do is this law? And your afraid of a bunch of spookey old girls called MADD, because they might deminish your right to get **** faced? Compare this to what your reaction was to a bunch of Saudi Arabs killing 2,000 plus people in a single eventful day. Two wars and thousands of your own children dead! And the cost and total deaths still keep right on going!! Have another drink while you clean your rifle and read your bible!

[perrycbs1]

I think some of the northern European countries have a much simpler and effective plan.

1st drunk driving offense. You do not get a chance to go home. You immediately spend the next several weeks picking up trash along the roads, fixing parks, or do other community service (and spend each night at the "center"). Even national legislature members are treated the same.

The fact that you are not allowed to go home, nor report to your normal job... for the next several weeks is your problem. No lawyers, no delays, and no appeals (other than a confirmatory blood test or other appropriate medical testing).

2nd and 3rd offenses then get into more serious punishments (along with additional time picking up trash, etc).

[formrusmcsgt]

Drink at home.

Period.

[blackbug99]

Let's see how many lawmakers this catches.