NEW YORK, NY — Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney was joined by elected officials, prosecutors, advocates and victims’ families at a press conference on December 10 at Touro University, which was followed by a legislative symposium on drugged driving.
Tierney pointed out that New York State is one of four states in the country that “permits dangerously impaired people to drive legally” because the drugs that the driver has in their system are not considered to be illegal under the Public Health Law. That means, he said, drivers can drive while high on nitrous oxide, xyladine or other synthetic drugs.
“This loophole … allows impaired drivers … who operate vehicles and threaten the lives of citizens with impunity, no matter how impaired they may be,” Tierney said. “Innocent drivers and pedestrians are being injured and killed every day because of this loophole.”…