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History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to rules
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S6029
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to enacting the "support technology options preventing driving while intoxicated (STOP DWI) act" mandating the installation of alcohol detection devices in motor vehicles
Purpose
This bill requires the installation of alcohol detection devices in all cars sold or registered in New York State which would prevent the vehicle from being started unless the operator's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is within legal limits.
Summary of provisions
The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1198-b, which would require the installation of alcohol detection devices in all motor vehicles manufactured for use, sold or registered in this state on or after January 1, 2018.
Defines alcohol detection device as one that measures blood alcohol concentration by means of tissue spectrometry, electrochemical sensors or other technology capable of detecting blood alcohol concentration (BAC) through the skin and is connected to the vehicle's ignition system to prevent the vehicle from being started without first determining that the operator's BAC does not exceed the calibrated setting on such device. Prohibits circumvention of alcohol detection devices and establishes penalties for same.
Justification
The dangers of driving with abilities impaired by the effects of alcohol are well documented and established. Unfortunately, despite continuing efforts to prevent this behavior via stricter laws and increased penalties, compliance, and therefore reduction of the behavior, has proved elusive.
This bill takes a different approach which is significantly more likely to result in compliance, by effectively preventing the vehicle from being started in the first place, if the installed alcohol detection device senses a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding the legally permissible threshold. This bill also makes at a crime to circumvent the device in order to operate the motor vehicle.
This legislation will save lives in greater numbers than is currently possible under the current approach of penalizing the offender after the offense (or accident) has taken place and relying on the deterrence effect. Minimizing the possibility that a legally intoxicated individual can even start a motor vehicle is a far more effective strategy in dealing with this public safety issue.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.