NY Veh & Traf L § 155 (2021)
2021 New York Laws VAT - Vehicle and Traffic Title 1 - Words and Phrases Defined Article 1 - Words and Phrases Defined. 155 - Traffic Infraction.

§  155.  Traffic  infraction.  The  violation of any provision of this   chapter, except articles forty-seven and forty-eight,  or  of  any  law,   ordinance,  order,  rule  or  regulation regulating traffic which is not   declared by this chapter or other law of this state to be a  misdemeanor   or  a  felony.  A  traffic  infraction is not a crime and the punishment   imposed therefor shall not be deemed for any purpose a penal or criminal   punishment and shall not affect or impair the credibility as  a  witness   or  otherwise  of any person convicted thereof. This definition shall be   retroactive and shall  apply  to  all  acts  and  violations  heretofore   committed  where such acts and violations would, if committed subsequent   to the taking effect of this section, be included within the meaning  of   the  term  "traffic  infraction"  as  herein  defined.  Except  in those   portions  of  Suffolk  county  for  which  a  district  court  has  been   established,  outside  of  cities  having  a population in excess of one   million  in  which  administrative  tribunals   have   heretofore   been   established, courts and judicial officers heretofore having jurisdiction   over  such  violations shall continue to do so and for such purpose such   violations shall be  deemed  misdemeanors  and  all  provisions  of  law   relating  to misdemeanors except as provided in section eighteen hundred   five of this chapter and except as herein otherwise  expressly  provided   shall  apply  except  that  no  jury  trial shall be allowed for traffic   infractions. In those portions of Suffolk county for  which  a  district   court  has  been established and in cities having a population in excess   of one million in which administrative tribunals  have  heretofore  been   established,  the  criminal courts of such cities or portions of Suffolk   county in which  a  district  court  has  been  established  shall  have   jurisdiction  to  hear  and determine any complaint alleging a violation   constituting a traffic infraction, except that administrative  tribunals   heretofore  established  in such cities or portions of Suffolk county in   which a district court has been established shall have  jurisdiction  to   hear  and  determine  any  charge  of  an  offense  which  is  a traffic   infraction, except parking, standing or stopping.  In  cities  having  a   population  in  excess  of  two hundred thousand in which administrative   tribunals have heretofore been established, and any such  administrative   tribunal  established  by the city of Yonkers, the city of Peekskill, or   the city of Syracuse, such tribunals shall have jurisdiction to hear and   determine any charge of an offense  which  is  a  parking,  standing  or   stopping violation. Any fine imposed by an administrative tribunal shall   be  a  civil penalty. For purposes of arrest without a warrant, pursuant   to article one hundred forty of the criminal procedure  law,  a  traffic   infraction shall be deemed an offense.