Source: https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/charles-j-fuschillo-jr/senator-fuschillo-announces-senate-passage
Timestamp: 2016-07-28 12:29:01
Document Index: 447715398

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 501', '§ 503', '§ 501', '§ 502', '§ 503', '§ 509', '§510', '§ 510', '§ 1229', '§ 501', '§ 501', '§502', '§503', '§509', '§510', '§510', '§ 1229']

Senator Fuschillo Announces Senate Passage of Legislation to Improve Teenage Driver Safety | NY State Senate
State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. announced that the state Senate recently passed legislation he supports to strengthen teen driving training requirements and prevent teenage driving deaths.
TITLE OF BILL:An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the gradu-ated licensing program; to repeal section 503-a of such law relatingthereto; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon expira-tion thereof
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:This bill would enhance highway safety by strengthening the Vehicle andTraffic Law ("VTL") graduated licensing program provisions for safety ofjunior drivers and their passengers and by limiting driver distractionand inattention by prohibiting the use of portable electronic deviceswhile driving.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:Section 1 of the bill would amend VTL, § 501(4) to eliminate the refer-ence to limited class DJ and MJ licenses (which is a conforming amend-ment consistent with the repeal of VTL § 503-a which authorizes suchlicenses). Holders of DJ and MJ class learner's permits who complete aroad test can currently receive a limited class DJ or MJ license if suchroad test is taken less than 6 months after the permit was issued. Alimited class DJ or MJ license permits persons over the age of sixteen,but under the age of eighteen, to operate passenger vehicles and trucksor motorcycles, respectively, and becomes a DJ or MJ license after sixmonths.
Section 2 of the bill would amend VTL g 501-b(c) and (d) to reduce fromtwo to one, the number of non-family passengers under the age of twen-ty-one who may be a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by the holderof a DJ or MJ learner's permit when not accompanied by a duly licensedparent, guardian, or person in a position of loco parents. The amend-ment to paragraph (d) would require that a DJ or MJ permit be held forat least six months before a DJ/MJ license is issued.
Section 3 of the bill would amend VTL § 501-b(2) of the VTL to reduce,from two to one, the number of non-family passengers under the age oftwenty-one who may be a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by theholder of a DJ or MJ license.
Section 4 of the bill would add a new § VTL 1225-d to prohibit the useof portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle while inmotion. A summons for operating a motor vehicle while using a portableelectronic device shall only be issued when there is reasonable cause tobelieve that the person operating the motor vehicle has committed aseparate violation of the law.
Section 5 of the bill would amend VTL § 502(2)(d) to increase the numberof supervised driving hours that an applicant's parent or guardian mustcertify (in writing) that the applicant for a DJ or MJ license has had(before the applicant may take a road test), from 20 to 50 hours, andalso to require that at least 15 of those practice driving hours beafter sunset.
Section 6 of the bill would repeal VTL § 503-a which provides for theissuance of limited class DJ and MJ licenses.
Section 7 of the bill would amend VTL § 509(3) to clarify that not onlyis a person prohibited from operating a motor vehicle in violation ofrestrictions that are contained on his/her driver's license, but inaddition, a person is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle inviolation of restrictions that are applicable to (as opposed to beingset forth on) the permit or license.
Section 8 of the bill would make conforming amendments to VTL §510-b(1),(2) and (3) to eliminate references to limited class DJ and MJlicenses.
Section 9 of the bill would amend VTL § 510-c to provide that certainlicensing sanctions that result from certain violations committed whilea person holds a DJ or MJ permit/license will be imposed against whatev-er permit or license the person holds at the time of conviction.
Section 10 of the bill would amend VTL § 1229-c(3-a) to eliminate thereference to limited class DJ or MJ licenses.
Section 11 of the bill would allow the continuation of all local lawsrelating to the operation of a motor vehicle while using a portableelectronic device enacted prior to June 10, 2009 but only until November1, 2009, when the statewide law takes effect. Additionally, it wouldallow a locality to adopt such local law, ordinance or code after June10, 2009 but with the same terms of Section 1225-d.
Section 12 of the bill would preempt any local law, ordinance, code,rule or regulation relating to the use of portable electronic deviceswhile operating a motor vehicle, but would not limit state or localagencies from imposing more stringent restrictions than provided in thisact upon individuals whom they regulate while performing their duties.
Section 13 of the bill would direct the commissioner of motor vehicles,in consultation with the superintendent of the state police, to studythe effects of the use of portable electronic devices in conjunctionwith the operation of a motor vehicle, including the effects of forms ofinattention and distraction and impacts on highway safety.
Section 14 of the bill would provide that this act shall take effectimmediately, except that Sections 4 and 12 of this act shall take effecton November 1, 2009, and Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 of thisact shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shallbecome law. Further, Section 11 of this act shall expire on November 1,2009.
EXISTING LAW:VTL § 501(4), which provides that certain licenses shall be consideredprobationary, does not apply to limited class DJ and MJ licenses.
VTL § 501-b(1) and 501-b(2) provides that only two non-family passengersunder twenty-one may be a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by theholder of a DJ or MJ learner's permit/license. There are currently nostatewide restrictions regarding operation of a motor vehicle whileusing portable electronic devices. VTL §502(2)(d) provides that before aclass DJ or MJ or limited DJ or limited MJ license may be issued, anapplicant must provide - at the time of a road test - a written certif-ication from his/her parent or guardian certifying that the applicanthas had 20 hours of supervised driving experience. There is no require-ment that any of the 20 hours of supervised driving take place aftersunset. VTL §503-a provides for the issuance of limited class DJ and MJlicenses to holders of DJ or MJ learner's permits who pass a road testwithin the first six months of the permit's validity. VTL §509(3)prohibits a person from operating a motor vehicle in violation ofrestrictions that are contained on his/her driver's license. VTL §510-b(1),(2) and (3) provide for the suspension and revocation oflicenses for violations committed during a probationary period. VTL§510-c provides that if a junior driver commits certain violations whileholding a class DJ or MJ permit or a DJ or MJ license, and theviolations are of a number or type that call for the imposition of alicense sanction, such sanction may only be imposed against the DJ or MJpermit or license. VTL § 1229-c(3-a) prohibits holders of DJ classlearner's permits or limited class DJ or MJ licenses from operating amotor vehicle unless they and all passengers are wearing a seat belt andall passengers under the age of four are restrained in booster seats.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:This is a new bill.
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT:According to a 2008 publication by the National Highway TransportationSafety Administration (NHTSA), a significant percentage of junior driv-ers are involved in traffic crashes and are twice as likely as adultdrivers to be in a fatal crash. Sixteen-year old drivers have crashrates that are about three times greater than 17-year old drivers, fivetimes greater than 18-year-old drivers, and approximately twice the rateof 85-year old drivers. Some of the factors contributing to these highercrash rates include lack of driving experience and inadequate drivingskills; excessive driving during night-time; risk-taking behavior; poordriving judgment and decision making; and distractions from teenagepassengers. NHTSA has encouraged states to implement a graduated licens-ing system (GDL) to ease young, inexperienced drivers onto the roadways,as an effective way of reducing the incidence of traffic crashes. Vari-ous national organizations (e.g., the American Association of MotorVehicle Administrators (AAMVA), the American Automobile Association(AM), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)) and trafficsafety researchers have also evaluated, recommended and recognized thebenefits of GDL systems, which prolong the learning process and providea more protective driving environment for the young novice drivers andtheir passengers.
This legislation would significantly strengthen New York's GDL laws,bringing New York's program closer to the model GDL laws recommended byNHSTA in a number of important respects, and implementing additionalenhancements as well. This bill would eliminate the limited DJ/MJ classlicense and require that DJ/MJ learner's permits must be held for atleast six months before a DJ/MJ or D/M license may be issued. This willhelp ensure that before teens drive unsupervised they will have had atleast six months of supervised driving experience. It will also simplifythe current laws regarding junior drivers (who hold DJ/MJ licenses),making the laws more readily understandable by members of the public andlaw enforcement, and hence more easily enforced. The number of practicedriving hours that must be certified by a parent or guardian wouldincrease from the current 20-hour requirement, to 50 hours, 15 hours ofwhich must take place after sunset. The number of non-family passengersunder the age 21 who will be able to ride with a junior driver who is not accompanied by a specified supervising adult will be reduced from two to one.
In addition, a technical correction will be made to the VTL provisionthat prohibits operating in violation of restrictions contained on alicense so that the prohibition will apply to restrictions contained on,or applicable to, both licenses and permits. Although GDL programs havebeen recognized as an effective way to reduce the risks to young driv-ers, such programs vary from state to state, with some programs beingmore effective than others. A study by researchers from the JohnsHopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Injury andResearch and Policy and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine publishedin 2006 found that more comprehensive GDL programs have the greatesteffect in reducing the incidence of fatal crashes of 16 year old driv-ers. Studies have also shown that driving skills sharpen over time andthat crash rates diminish dramatically during the first year of licen-sure. This bill would be an important step toward implementing NewYork's ongoing commitment to solving the tragic problem of fatal andpersonal injury crashes involving teenagers.
Finally, the use of portable electronic devices, such as hand-heldmobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), while operat-ing a motor vehicle have become a distraction, and therefore a dangerand threat to public safety. Crashes due to driver inattention ordistraction are on the rise in the United States and they have resultedin more fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationestimates that 25 percent of all police-reported crashes involve someform of driver inattention. This bill would help limit driverdistraction and inattention by prohibiting any operator in the statefrom using any portable electronic device while driving, and in turn,enhancing highway safety.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:This bill shall take effect immediately, except that Sections 4 and 12of this act shall take effect on November 1, 2009, and Sections 1, 2, 3,5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 of this act shall take effect on the one hundredeightieth day after it shall become law. Further, Section 11 of this actshall expire on November 1, 2009. A limited use license issued prior tothe effective date would remain valid until it expires.