Passing new DUI laws is a favorite sport in state legislatures, with politican stumbling over themselves trying to prove how tough they are on drunk drivers. And with MADD, law enforcement and prosecutors reminding them of coming elections, who's to direct traffic?
New D.W.I Laws Cause ConfusionRochester, NY. Nov. 1 – Two new D.W.I. laws went into effect Wednesday that added stiffer penalties for repeat offenders, but News 10NBC has learned that those two laws actually contradict each other…
The new law getting all the media coverage around the state is named after Bill Leaf and Brandi Woods, two victims of drunken drivers. The law increases punishment for repeat D.W.I. offenders. If a drunk driver causes a fatal accident the driver can be charged with vehicular manslaughter in the 1st degree, if previously convicted of D.W.I. within the past ten years.
News 10NBC has learned that a second law also passed by the legislature and named after the state senator who introduced it has a lower threshold. The driver can be charged with 1st-degree manslaughter if he or she has two or more previous D.W.I. convictions within the past five years, or three or more within the last ten years…
No problem:
However, anti- D.W.I. advocates hope the new laws will help get the message across to people who drink and drive.
"That will have more tools in the arsenal for judges to use to put away offenders for a longer period of time," said Pete Navratil, of Rochester Against Intoxicated Driving.
Can't argue with logic like that….
(Thanks to Lance Mixon of Jackson, MS.)
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