NORWICH – Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a new initiative that will strengthen Department of Motor Vehicles regulations statewide and keep drivers with a history of drug or alcohol related convictions off the road.

The new regulations – which went into effect in late September – will make New York among the toughest states in the country when it comes to drivers who have repeatedly driven while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to a Cuomo press release.

Said the governor, “We are saying ‘enough is enough’ to those who have chronically abused their driving privileges and threatened the safety of other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. This comprehensive effort will make New York safer, by keeping these drivers off our roadways.”

Previously, a driver convicted of multiple alcohol or drug related driving offenses did not permanently lose his or her license. As an example, a driver with three alcohol or drug related driving offenses within a period of four years would lose their license for only five years. And some drivers, stated Cuomo, with as many as six or more alcohol or drug related driving convictions over longer periods of time, still had a license. In fact, the only time a driver truly faced losing their license permanently is when they’d had two alcohol or drug related convictions following separate incidents which resulted in a physical injury, according to the press release.