As December marks National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (also known as Impaired Driving Prevention Month), State Senator Christopher J. Ryan (SD-50) is renewing his call for action on legislation to modernize New York’s impaired driving laws and better protect motorists, pedestrians and families across the state.

Drugged driving remains a growing public safety threat, yet New York’s laws have failed to keep pace with the realities of impairment. Under current statute, drivers can only be charged if the specific substance impairing them is listed in law—leaving dangerous loopholes that allow some impaired drivers to evade accountability, even when their behavior clearly puts others at risk.

Senator Ryan is sponsoring S.6485, comprehensive legislation designed to bring New York’s impaired driving laws into the modern era. The bill would shift the legal focus from a narrow list of substances to a clear standard based on impairment, define impairment and intoxication in statute, update field-testing procedures, establish refusal of a field sobriety test as a traffic infraction, expand circumstances for chemical testing following crashes, strengthen license suspension procedures, and require demographic data reporting of stops, arrests and convictions to promote transparency. The bill also provides an affirmative defense to driving under the influence in cases of allergic reactions or medical emergencies and allows Certified Drug Recognition Experts to determine if a driver is under the influence. In addition, this bill would bring New York into alignment with 46 other states that do not use a list to determine substances that define impairment.

“Impairment is impairment, no matter the substance. When someone gets behind the wheel while under the influence, lives are put in danger. Our laws should be focused on a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle, not on whether a particular drug happens to appear on an outdated list,” said Senator Ryan. “Every New Yorker deserves to come home safely. This legislation is about saving lives, getting those who need support the help they need before a tragedy occurs, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring our laws reflect today’s realities. Drugged driving is not a future problem. It’s happening now, and we need to act.”

Earlier this month, Senator Ryan convened law enforcement officials, legal experts, advocates and impacted families in New York City to discuss the real-world consequences of drugged driving and the gaps in existing law. Those conversations reinforced what many public safety professionals have long warned: outdated statutes undermine enforcement and leave communities vulnerable.

December’s designation as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month underscores the urgency of this issue, particularly during the holiday season when impaired driving incidents increase. National safety data continues to show that drug- and alcohol-impaired driving claims thousands of lives each year, making it a persistent and preventable danger on roadways nationwide.

Senator Ryan urges the Legislature to advance S.6485 when session reconvenes and reaffirms his commitment to working with public safety professionals, advocates and families to strengthen protections for all New Yorkers. This legislation is co-sponsored on both sides of the aisle by 32 senators. 

Senator Monica R. Martinez (SD-4) said, “To the victims and families of those injured or killed by an impaired driver, it doesn’t matter what the substance of choice was.  Just as driving drunk is a threat to life and property, so too is driving drugged, but, unfortunately, our laws don’t always recognize impairment the same way.  I thank Senator Ryan for continuing to champion these necessary changes, and I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation to protect New Yorkers.”

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (SD-15) said, “As co-sponsor and a strong proponent of S.6485, I believe New York needs to take immediate action to close the dangerous loopholes in our impaired driving laws that put lives at risk every day. Too many families have suffered because our statutes haven’t kept pace with the realities of increased impaired driving. I appreciate Senator Ryan introducing this legislation, and urge my legislative colleagues to help close the drugged driving loopholes in 2026, prioritizing public safety by holding impaired drivers accountable, regardless of the substance involved.”

Senator Robert Jackson (SD-31) said, “New Yorkers deserve roads governed by clarity, not chance. When impairment—of any kind—takes the wheel, it is families, pedestrians, and entire communities who pay the price. S.6485 isn’t about expanding punishment; it’s about closing deadly gaps in an outdated system that allows danger to slip through on a technicality. This bill brings New York in line with reason, science, and the lived experiences of those who’ve lost loved ones. In this moment of rising roadway deaths, we must choose responsibility over complacency. I stand with Senator Ryan because protecting life is not a partisan act—it is the solemn duty of a state that values every journey home.” 

Senator James Skoufis (SD-42) said, "The safety of our communities is paramount, and to that end, I'm proud to stand in support of Senator Ryan's legislation that makes standards for impaired driving straightforward and clear. Our law enforcement officers deserve support as they work to keep drivers and passengers safe on the roads, and I'll continue to back legislation that does just that. Impaired driving is pervasive, and it takes collective action to address it. Everyone deserves to get home safe."

Rensselaer County District Attorney and President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York Mary Pat Donnelly said, “The time has come to finally prioritize addressing drugged driving laws in our state. New York's State's prosecutors have long advocated closing loopholes in our law that allow drivers to escape arrest and prosecution when they are impaired by dangerous substances and do harm to others on our roadways. I join Senator Ryan in his call for the New York State Legislature to advance The Deadly Driving Bill, S6485c/A3981c, which would at last close that loophole. This legislation would make our roadways safer and send a message to drivers that combining dangerous substances and operating a motor vehicle will not be tolerated in New York."

Mary E. Sullivan, President, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) said, "CSEA members work every day just feet away from moving traffic, and too often they are put at risk by drivers who choose to get behind the wheel while impaired. Modernizing our drugged driving laws is an important step in a larger effort to improve highway safety and prevent tragedies before they happen.”

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