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Galef Calls on New York to Follow New Jersey’s Lead in Penalizing Drowsy Drivers
New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey signed a bill on August 5th that will penalize fatigued drivers who cause fatal accidents. Under this law, individuals face up to ten years in prison and a fine of $150,000. New York State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef is calling upon her colleagues in the New York State Legislature to follow New Jersey’s lead in penalizing drowsy drivers.
Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, 90th A.D., has introduced A.6421, legislation to prevent drowsy driving by amending "the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to driving while ability impaired. by fatigue." Galef stated, "Right now, state law contains no penalties for drowsy driving, and drivers who fall asleep at the wheel cannot be charged even if their inattentiveness causes death or serious injury."
In response to a survey by Galef in a 2002 newsletter, 62% of respondents supported penalties for fatigued drivers when they were the cause of an accident. In addition, Galef has received many letters from constituents who have lost a family member or friend in car accident caused by a drowsy driver.
"New York has eliminated the use of hand-held cell phones while driving in order to lower the accident rate, and now combating drowsy driving is the next step in enhancing safety for all," Galef stated. "Our constituents let us know that we should no longer ignore the fact that using a cell phone carelessly can have tragic consequences. Now it’s time to build on the concept. Falling asleep at the wheel is the ultimate in inattentiveness."
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