54 | Driver’s Manual • Three or more alcohol or drug related  driving convictions in the 25 year look back  period plus at least one other serious driving  offense during that period. A serious driving  offense includes: a fatal crash, a driving-re- lated penal law conviction, an accumulation  of 20 or more points assessed for driving  violations within the 25 year look back peri- od or having two or more driving convictions  during the 25 year look back period each  worth five points or more. • Delayed Re-Licensing, Driving Restrictions,  & Interlocks for Other Drivers with Repeated  Alcohol- or Drug-Related Driving Convic- tions:  For those drivers seeking reinstatement  of a license after revocation who have three or  four alcohol- or drug-related driving convic- tions but no serious driving offense in the 25  year look back period, DMV will: • Deny their applications for five years beyond  their statutory revocation period if the appli- cant’s license was revoked for an alcohol- or  drug-related offense; or two additional years  if the applicant’s license was revoked for a reason other than an alcohol or drug related offense; • Restore the applicant’s license after that  additional period as a “restricted” license  limiting the applicant’s driving to, for exam- ple, travel to and from work or medical visits; and • Require an interlock device on the vehicle  driven by the applicant for five years from  the date of the interlock device installation. • End the Reduction of Mandatory Suspension  or Revocation Periods:  Previously, repeat  drunk drivers whose licenses had been re- voked or suspended could get their full driving  privileges back in as little as seven weeks by  completing DMV’s Impaired Driver Program.  DMV’s new regulations will ensure that those  drivers cannot regain their driving privileges  until their full term of suspension or revocation  has ended. Zero Tolerance for Drivers Under Age 21 Illegal Purchase of Beverages Containing Alcohol Open Container Law The legal purchase and possession age for  beverages containing alcohol in New York State  is 21. Under the state’s “zero tolerance” law, it  is a violation for a person under 21 to drive with  any BAC that can be measured (.02 to .07). After  a finding of violation is determined at a DMV  hearing, the driver license will be suspended for  six months. The driver then must pay a $100 sus- pension termination fee and a $125 civil penalty  to be re-licensed. For a second Zero Tolerance  violation, the driver license will be revoked for  at least one year or until the driver reaches 21,  whichever is longer. When you use a driver license or Non-Driver ID  card as proof of age to illegally purchase bever- ages that contain alcohol, state law requires the  suspension of your driver license or privilege to  apply for a license. It is a traffic infraction for a driver or passenger  in a motor vehicle on a public highway, street or  road to drink a beverage containing alcohol or to  have a beverage containing alcohol. The penalty  for a first conviction is a fine up to $150, a man- datory surcharge, a crime victim assistance fee,  and possible imprisonment of 15 days. Additional  offenses within 18 months bring higher penalties.  The law exempts passengers in vehicles like  stretch limousines and other vehicles that display  a commerce certificate or permit issued by the  U.S. Department of Transportation or the NYS  Department of Transportation.