New Yorkers who repeatedly drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol will now permanently lose their driving privileges after four drug- or alcohol-related convictions or incidents, such as failure to submit to a chemical test. This change went into effect last Friday, following the adoption of stricter regulations from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Previously, drivers would face permanent license denial after five drug- or alcohol-related convictions or incidents.
The changes also allow for permanent license denial after three alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions or incidents plus one or more other serious driving offenses. In addition, the DMV can now deny an application for re-licensure for two years if the applicant has three alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions and no serious driving offense. Other applicants who meet the same criteria but have a current license revocation for an alcohol- or drug-related conviction will face a five-year denial.
“At some point we have to say, ‘enough is enough.’ When someone is repeatedly convicted of driving under the influence, they need to be permanently removed from our roadways, and a ‘forfeit after four’ policy significantly increases our ability to do just that,” said Mark J.F. Schroeder, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. “This law will appropriately take away the driving privileges of those who unfairly put everyone else on New York’s roads at greater risk.”
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