Senator Fuschillo is sponsoring legislation (S8036), passed by the State Senate, which would help prevent convicted DWI offenders from driving drunk again.

The legislation would require anyone convicted of DWI, including first-time offenders, to have mandatory probation and have an ignition interlock installed in their car. Costs for the installation and maintenance of the interlock would be borne by the offender.

Ignition interlocks are devices installed in vehicles that measure alcohol in the driver’s breath and immobilize the car if alcohol is detected. They have been proven to keep convicted drunk drivers from committing another DWI crime; the State of New Mexico saw a 60 percent drop in the recidivism rate among drunk drivers since enacting a similar law in 2005.

With over 20,000 DWI arrests and 150 deaths at the hands of drunk drivers on Long Island in the last 2 years, drunk driving is an epidemic which puts us all at risk. While New York State has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the country, additional measures are needed to keep drunk drivers off our roads.

Support Senator Fuschillo’s legislation by filing out and submitting the form below.