As summer and the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers begin, lawmakers in New York are proposing a package of bills that would combat underage drinking and driving. According to Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, underage drinking and its related risks, such as alcohol-related crashes, continue to be a problem throughout the nation, including New York.
According to Crespo, 72% of teenagers today have consumed alcohol while 30.8% of underage drinkers paid for alcohol themselves the last time they drank. Between 2010 and 2012, disputes over alcohol sales to minors in New York has increased by 38%, according to the State Liquor Authority, which settles such disputes.
To combat the issue of underage drinking and reduce drunk driving among teens, Klein and Crespo have introduced a package of bill proposals that crack down on fake ID use. Here’s a breakdown of the package’s provisions:
- Extends liability laws to include serial makers of fake IDs.
- Extends liability of establishments, such as restaurants and bars, to include obviously intoxicated adults and minors who cause the death or injury of another person in an alcohol-related crash.
- Strengthens defenses for proprietors found serving alcohol to minors but who keep careful watch of underage drinkers with fake IDs using the following practices: having an operating ID scanner, requiring employees to use ID scanners, holding a certificate of completion of a licensed alcohol awareness program, and having no violations for at least two years.
- Allows businesses to take fake IDs from underage drinkers.
- Requires retailers who have served alcohol to minors to buy and use ID scanners.
This is the second year the underage drinking package has been proposed to the New York Legislature. The only bill to pass the first time around increased the consequences for minors who use a fake ID. Klein and Crespo hope to see the rest of the bills passed this time around.