After a speedy passage through the state legislature, Leandra's Law, which makes it an automatic felony to drive drunk with a passenger under 16, goes into effect this Friday.
The law is named after 11-year-old Leandra Rosado. Leandra was killed earlier this year when a car she was traveling in with a host of other children while heading to a sleepover overturned. The driver, Carmen Huertas, was charged with DWI following the accident. Huertas' own daughter was also in the car but survived the accident.
This incident was just one of many involving child passengers this year in the state of New York. One similar tragedy occurred this summer on the Taconic Parkway when Diane Schuler took the life of 8 people, including herself and her daughter, while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
Governor Paterson pushed for the tougher laws to be quickly passed, and the Senate and Assembly responded, assuring their respective versions of the bill were identical so it could be signed into law.
Now, DWI with child will be punishable with up to 25 years in prison. As a separate but related part of the provision, all New York DWI drivers convicted of their offense will have to install an ignition interlock device. New York has taken aggressive steps to make this law one of the toughest in the country, and its enforcement period will begin this Friday.
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