As the Christmas and New Year holidays approach, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind my constituents to make sure you have a designated driver if you will be out and about celebrating the holidays with alcohol. Any amount of alcohol affects your judgment and coordination. The degree of impairment depends upon the amount of alcohol you consume, your body weight, whether or not you eat before or while drinking, and the length of time you spend drinking.

The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in New York State is .08, and as low as .02 for drivers under the age of 21. If convicted of a DWI, you will face a substantial fine, license revocation, higher insurance costs, legal fees and a possible jail sentence.

Not only are there severe legal consequences for drinking and driving, but you also risk your safety and that of others on the road when you consume alcohol and get behind the wheel. So, when you’re heading out to that holiday party over the next few weeks, be smart and line up a designated driver.

The holiday season also means that winter is upon us and roads can be snow covered, icy and wet. Wear your seat belt, reduce your speed, be alert and use your brakes carefully. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency kit in your car in the event you should be stranded.

Finally, don’t drive distracted. Not only is talking on your cell phone illegal in New York, but so is composing, sending, reading, accessing, browsing, transmitting, saving, or retrieving electronic data such as e-mail, text messages, or webpages; viewing, taking, or transmitting images; and playing games. The penalty for a violation of this law can be a fine of up to $150 and three driver penalty points.

Happy Holidays to my constituents in the 122nd Assembly District. I look forward to another year serving as your Assemblyman.