New York Considers Mandatory Breathalyzer Testing for School Bus Drivers

Drunk school bus drivers? It’s every parent’s worst nightmare but a reality for those living in New York State. After a terrifying series of recent accidents involving drunk school bus drivers—including one where a 66-year-old man passed out at the wheel and crashed his bus into a house, and another where a half empty bottle of vodka was found on board—parents are pushing to install breathalyzers on every school bus in the state. Though no children were injured in these accidents, it's a wake-up call to the Senate’s Transportation Committee.

"School bus drivers literally hold students’ lives in their hands," says Senator Charles Fuschillo, the chairman of the committee. "We have strong laws to hold bus drivers accountable after they have been drinking; now we need to prevent them from even having the chance to drive drunk behind the wheel of a bus. Requiring school buses to be equipped with ignition interlocks will provide a defense against drunk driving for children who can't defend themselves."

Fuschillo is pushing the bill in conjunction with Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.