Personal Injury Law

Officials in New York City Reassessing DWI Test Process

Thousands of innocent car accident victims lose their lives or are severely injured each year as a result of drunk drivers. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in every state. Now, according to an Associated Press news report, New York City officials are reassessing the legal process that determines whether someone was drinking and driving in a serious car accident. This process began after blood alcohol tests were not performed for two hours on two off-duty officers who were charged with vehicular manslaughter in separate incidents.

In the case of the two officers, they declined to take breath tests at the scene, which they are allowed to do under the law. Both were tested several hours later. One test came back clean while the other showed the blood alcohol level to be twice the legal limit. The problem here is that the delay in the testing process gives drunk drivers the time to sober up. City police commissioner Raymond Kelly has assembled a panel to discuss this important issue with district attorneys and formulate ways to get these sobriety tests done in a quick and effective manner so accurate blood alcohol reading may be obtained.

Full post as published by New York Injury Talk Blog on November 19, 2009 (boomark / email).