New York’s Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, along with Assemblyman Steve Stern and Senator Chris Ryan, will address the issue of drugged driving at a Legislative Symposium scheduled for tomorrow. The event will provide information to lawmakers and the public about the risks of drug-impaired driving and existing gaps in state legislation. Tierney, Stern, and Ryan are scheduled to speak at the symposium, which will be held at Touro University in Manhattan. A registration link is available for those who wish to attend. The symposium aims to examine the legal challenges that affect the prosecution of drugged driving cases.
The symposium will examine limitations in current New York State law that allow drivers impaired by drugs not specifically listed in statutes to legally operate a vehicle. Enforcement is currently based on whether the substance is named, rather than on the driver’s level of impairment. According to Suffolk County Government, Assemblyman Stern and Senator Ryan are advocating for the "Deadly Driving Bill" (S.6485c and A.3981c), which seeks to remove the list-based restriction and focus on actual impairment.
Support for the proposed legislative changes comes from prosecutors and public health advocates who view current laws as insufficient for addressing evolving patterns of substance use and related driving impairments. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney stated that drivers impaired by any substance, including alcohol, fentanyl, or nitrous oxide, present a risk on the road.
Traffic safety groups such as the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR) and public health organizations including the Family and Children’s Association have expressed support for the proposed legislative changes. FAAR Senior Vice President Darrin Grondel emphasized that New York is facing an ongoing issue with both alcohol- and drug-impaired driving and highlighted the need for enhanced measures. State statistics show that drug-related driving fatalities in New York increased by 33% in the five years leading up to 2022, while the presence of listed drugs in drivers involved in fatal crashes rose by 87% between 2013 and 2022.
The proposed legislation includes measures designed to prevent unfounded accusations and address potential disparities, including roadside oral fluid drug screening, expanded toxicology testing, and the use of body cameras to record interactions and evaluations. Data from a five-year period show that the majority of individuals arrested for drugged driving were white, highlighting considerations regarding impacts on minority drivers.
