» Home » News » News Releases


Prohibition Returns to New Mexico
$10 Billion Civil Liberty Violation Would Create a Traffic Safety Nightmare for All New York Drivers
(October 29, 2003) – PR Newswire


Washington, Mar. 16 /PRNewswire/— Radical legislation proposed by New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) would require every driver in New York to pass an alcohol breath test every time they start their car-anyplace, anytime and regardless of whether they drink responsibly or at all. The costly measure to install such devices has been estimated to be up to $1,000 per automobile, and would require New Yorkers to re-perform the test every 20 to 40 minutes while driving.

"Assemblyman Ortiz seems to have gone out of his way to create one of the most expensive, intrusive and ineffective bills in the history of the New York State legislature," John Doyle, executive director of The American Beverage Institute, said. "At an estimated cost of $1,000 per car, Assemblyman Ortiz's anti-consumer scheme is going to cost New Yorkers more than $10 billion dollars to implement. The voters should ask the good Assemblyman if he even bothered doing the math before he dreamed up this stunt.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that the overwhelming majority of drunk driving fatalities today are caused by a very small population of alcohol abusers and repeat offenders. "Assemblyman Ortiz apparently presumes that every car owner in New York is going to drive drunk unless thwarted by this expensive and intrusive technology," Doyle said. "His plan to punish every New Yorker for the crimes committed by a small number of alcohol abusers is a costly violation of civil liberties."

By proclaiming as he did that "drinking and driving should not be a choice," Assemblyman Ortiz is ignoring the fact that it is legal and acceptable for adults to drink responsibly prior to driving. In fact, 25 million Americans do so regularly. "This bill would force drivers to perform the breathalyzer test every 20 to 40 minutes while driving,' Doyle said. "Exactly how is that supposed to improve highway safety?"

The American Beverage Institute (www.AmericanBeverageInstitute.com) is an association of restaurants and on-premise retailers committed to the responsible serving of adult beverages.

Source: American Beverage Institute
Contact: The American Beverage Institute, 202-463-7110
URL: www.prnewswire.com