Connecticut’s drunken driving laws could soon be getting stricter. A Cheshire lawmaker has introduced a bill that would target those who drive under the influence of alcohol with a passenger under the age of 16.
State Rep. Al Adinolfi told the New Haven Register that the proposed legislation “is an even stronger deterrent to drinking and driving than what we currently have on the books and has the potential to save Connecticut’s children."
Adinolfi also says he is trying to close an existing loophole. “As heinous an offense as drinking and driving is, I believe it’s even worse when a child is endangered or injured,” he told the paper.
Right now, a driver with a passenger under 16 years old can’t be charged with that specific offense. It is up to the police to decide whether or not to charge a drunken driver with endangerment of a child.
Adinolfi represents parts of Hamden, Cheshire and Wallingford. No public hearings on his proposed legislation have been scheduled yet.
