Assemblyman Charles Lavine brags that New York State’s new DWI law is now “the toughest in the country”—-but I say it’s still not tough enough. He also says that it “will make drivers who have been drinking think twice before getting behind the wheel with a child passenger, and harshly punish those who do”.
However, Leandra’s Law only carries a “possible” prison sentence of “Up To” 1 1/3 to 4 years, plus fines “as high as” $5,000.
That’s not tough or harsh enough to deter people so despicable that they even consider drinking and driving in the first place.
To realistically save more lives, “possible” needs to become mandatory; “up to 1 1/3 to 4 years” needs to become “at least 4 years”; and “as high as $5,000” needs to become “at least $5,000.”
And if I could make the state’s DWI law, the sentences for endangering our childrens’ lives would be the drunk drivers’ life savings, plus life-without-parole behind bars.
Only then might the killers on our roadways begin to understand how we feel about our children——and what we are willing to do in order to protect them.
