• 22
  • February
    2012

In taking zero tolerance to new heights, the New York State Senate recently passed a bill to further penalize reckless driving. Safety advocates believe that reckless drivers in New York have been causing accidents and deaths on the roads for too many years.

In an effort to crackdown on this behavior, the senate recently sent a bill to the assembly that would make it a felony to knowingly or unknowingly drive the wrong way down the road in New York. This means that anyone cited for reckless or wrong-way driving would be charged with a felony, which carries a hefty fine and penalty.

The legislation comes as a result of a growing number of drivers driving the wrong way on the roads. In the last year, Long Island has issued 27 tickets for wrong-way driving under the influence. And Westchester County has seen several car crashes caused by cars driving in the wrong direction. In November 2010, an off-duty NYPD police officer was killed by a driver traveling the wrong way while under the influence of alcohol. Incidents similar to these are increasingly being reported across New York state.

Under the new legislation, aggravated reckless driving would be made a class E felony, which would make it a felony-level offense to:

  • Drive more than 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Drive more than 30 miles an hour over the posted speed limit, while weaving throughout traffic, chasing another car or racing
  • Knowingly drive against traffic
  • Drive the wrong way while intoxicated

This felony carries a punishment of up to four years in prison. If approved by the assembly, the bill would also increase the punishment for reckless driving - those convicted of the misdemeanor could serve up to one year in prison.

Source: NewsLI.com, "Felony Charges Created For Wrong Way And Reckless Drivers," 1/23/12.