2023 New York Laws › VAT - Vehicle and Traffic › Title 7 - Rules of the Road › Article 24 - Traffic Signs, Signals and Markings › 1111-E - Owner Liability for Failure of Operator to Comply With Traffic-Control Indications.

* §  1111-e.  Owner  liability  for failure of operator to comply with
traffic-control indications. (a) 1. Notwithstanding any other  provision
of  law,  the city of White Plains is hereby authorized and empowered to
adopt and amend a local law or ordinance  establishing  a  demonstration
program  imposing  monetary  liability  on  the  owner  of a vehicle for
failure  of  an  operator  thereof  to   comply   with   traffic-control
indications  in  such  city  in  accordance  with the provisions of this
section. Such demonstration program shall empower such city  to  install
and operate traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring devices at
no more than twelve intersections within such city at any one time.
2.  Such demonstration program shall utilize necessary technologies to
ensure, to the extent practicable, that  photographs  produced  by  such
traffic-control  signal  photo  violation-monitoring  systems  shall not
include images that identify the driver, the passengers, or the contents
of the vehicle. Provided, however, that no notice  of  liability  issued
pursuant  to this section shall be dismissed solely because a photograph
or photographs allow  for  the  identification  of  the  contents  of  a
vehicle,  provided that such city has made a reasonable effort to comply
with the provisions of this paragraph.
(b) In any such city which  has  adopted  a  local  law  or  ordinance
pursuant  to  subdivision  (a)  of  this section, the owner of a vehicle
shall be liable for a penalty imposed pursuant to this section  if  such
vehicle  was  used or operated with the permission of the owner, express
or implied, in violation of subdivision (d) of  section  eleven  hundred
eleven  of  this article, and such violation is evidenced by information
obtained  from  a  traffic-control  signal  photo   violation-monitoring
system;  provided however that no owner of a vehicle shall be liable for
a penalty imposed pursuant to this section where the  operator  of  such
vehicle  has  been  convicted of the underlying violation of subdivision
(d) of section eleven hundred eleven of this article.
(c) For purposes of this  section,  "owner"  shall  have  the  meaning
provided in article two-B of this chapter. For purposes of this section,
"traffic-control  signal photo violation-monitoring system" shall mean a
vehicle sensor installed to work in conjunction with  a  traffic-control
signal which automatically produces two or more photographs, two or more
microphotographs,  a  videotape or other recorded images of each vehicle
at the time it is used or operated in violation of  subdivision  (d)  of
section eleven hundred eleven of this article.
(d)  A  certificate,  sworn to or affirmed by a technician employed by
the city of White Plains in which the charged violation occurred,  or  a
facsimile    thereof,    based    upon    inspection   of   photographs,
microphotographs, videotape or  other  recorded  images  produced  by  a
traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring system, shall be prima
facie   evidence  of  the  facts  contained  therein.  Any  photographs,
microphotographs, videotape or other recorded images evidencing  such  a
violation  shall  be  available  for  inspection  in  any  proceeding to
adjudicate the liability for such violation pursuant to a local  law  or
ordinance adopted pursuant to this section.
(e)  An  owner  liable  for  a violation of subdivision (d) of section
eleven hundred eleven of  this  article  pursuant  to  a  local  law  or
ordinance  adopted pursuant to this section shall be liable for monetary
penalties in accordance with a schedule of fines and penalties to be set
forth in such local law or ordinance, except that if such city by  local
law has authorized the adjudication of such owner liability by a parking
violations  bureau,  such  schedule shall be promulgated by such bureau.
The liability of the owner pursuant to this  section  shall  not  exceed
fifty dollars for each violation; provided, however, that such local law
or  ordinance  may  provide  for  an additional penalty not in excess of

twenty-five dollars for each violation for the failure to respond  to  a
notice of liability within the prescribed time period.
(f)  An imposition of liability under a local law or ordinance adopted
pursuant to this section shall not be deemed a conviction as an operator
and shall not be made part of the operating record of  the  person  upon
whom  such  liability  is  imposed  nor  shall  it be used for insurance
purposes in the provision of motor vehicle insurance coverage.
(g) 1. A notice of liability shall be sent by first class mail to each
person alleged to be liable as an owner for a violation  of  subdivision
(d)  of  section  eleven hundred eleven of this article pursuant to this
section. Personal delivery on the owner shall not be required. A  manual
or  automatic  record  of  mailing  prepared  in  the ordinary course of
business shall be prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.
2. A notice of liability shall contain the name  and  address  of  the
person  alleged  to be liable as an owner for a violation of subdivision
(d) of section eleven hundred eleven of this article  pursuant  to  this
section,  the  registration  number  of  the  vehicle  involved  in such
violation, the location where such violation took place,  the  date  and
time of such violation and the identification number of the camera which
recorded the violation or other document locator number.
3.  The  notice  of  liability  shall contain information advising the
person charged of the manner and the time in which he or she may contest
the liability alleged in the notice. Such notice of liability shall also
contain a warning to advise the persons charged that failure to  contest
in  the  manner  and  time  provided  shall  be  deemed  an admission of
liability and that a default judgment may be entered thereon.
4. The notice of liability shall be prepared and mailed by the city of
White Plains, or by any other entity authorized by such city to  prepare
and mail such notification of violation.
(h)  Adjudication of the liability imposed upon owners by this section
shall be by a traffic violations bureau established pursuant to  section
three hundred seventy of the general municipal law or, if there be none,
by  the  court having jurisdiction over traffic infractions, except that
if such city has established an  administrative  tribunal  to  hear  and
determine   complaints  of  traffic  infractions  constituting  parking,
standing or stopping violations such city may, by local  law,  authorize
such adjudication by such tribunal.
(i)  If  an  owner  receives  a  notice  of liability pursuant to this
section for any time period during which the vehicle was reported to the
police department as having been stolen, it shall be a valid defense  to
an allegation of liability for a violation of subdivision (d) of section
eleven  hundred eleven of this article pursuant to this section that the
vehicle had been reported to the police as stolen prior to the time  the
violation occurred and had not been recovered by such time. For purposes
of  asserting  the  defense  provided  by  this  subdivision it shall be
sufficient that a certified copy of the  police  report  on  the  stolen
vehicle  be  sent  by first class mail to the traffic violations bureau,
court having jurisdiction or parking violations bureau.
(j) 1. In such city where the adjudication of liability  imposed  upon
owners  pursuant  to this section is by a traffic violations bureau or a
court having jurisdiction, an owner who is a  lessor  of  a  vehicle  to
which  a  notice  of liability was issued pursuant to subdivision (g) of
this section shall not be liable for the violation of subdivision (d) of
section eleven hundred eleven of this article, provided that he  or  she
sends  to  the  traffic violations bureau or court having jurisdiction a
copy of the rental, lease or other such contract document covering  such
vehicle  on  the date of the violation, with the name and address of the
lessee clearly legible, within thirty-seven days after receiving  notice

from  the  bureau  or  court  of  the  date  and time of such violation,
together with the other information contained in the original notice  of
liability. Failure to send such information within such thirty-seven day
time  period shall render the owner liable for the penalty prescribed by
this section. Where the lessor complies  with  the  provisions  of  this
paragraph,  the  lessee  of  such  vehicle on the date of such violation
shall be deemed to be the owner of such vehicle  for  purposes  of  this
section,  shall be subject to liability for the violation of subdivision
(d) of section eleven hundred eleven of this article  pursuant  to  this
section  and shall be sent a notice of liability pursuant to subdivision
(g) of this section.
2.  (I)  In  such  city  which,  by  local  law,  has  authorized  the
adjudication  of  liability  imposed  upon  owners  by this section by a
parking violations bureau, an owner who is a  lessor  of  a  vehicle  to
which  a  notice  of liability was issued pursuant to subdivision (g) of
this section shall not be liable for the violation of subdivision (d) of
section eleven hundred eleven of this article, provided that:
(A) prior to the violation, the lessor has filed with  the  bureau  in
accordance  with  the  provisions  of section two hundred thirty-nine of
this chapter; and
(B) within thirty-seven days after receiving notice from the bureau of
the date and time of a liability, together with  the  other  information
contained in the original notice of liability, the lessor submits to the
bureau  the  correct  name  and  address  of  the  lessee of the vehicle
identified in the notice of liability at the  time  of  such  violation,
together with such other additional information contained in the rental,
lease  or  other contract document, as may be reasonably required by the
bureau pursuant to regulations that may be promulgated for such purpose.
(II) Failure to comply with clause (B) of  subparagraph  (I)  of  this
paragraph  shall  render  the owner liable for the penalty prescribed in
this section.
(III) Where the lessor complies with the provisions of this paragraph,
the lessee of such vehicle on the date of such violation shall be deemed
to be the owner of such vehicle for purposes of this section,  shall  be
subject  to  liability  for  such violation pursuant to this section and
shall be sent a notice of liability pursuant to subdivision (g) of  this
section.
(k)  1.  If  the  owner  liable  for a violation of subdivision (d) of
section eleven hundred eleven of this article pursuant to  this  section
was  not  the  operator of the vehicle at the time of the violation, the
owner may maintain an action for indemnification against the operator.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no owner of  a
vehicle  shall  be  subject  to a monetary fine imposed pursuant to this
section if the operator of  such  vehicle  was  operating  such  vehicle
without  the  consent  of  the owner at the time such operator failed to
obey a traffic-control indication.  For  purposes  of  this  subdivision
there  shall  be  a  presumption  that  the operator of such vehicle was
operating such vehicle with the consent of the owner at  the  time  such
operator failed to obey a traffic-control indication.
(l)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability
of an operator of a vehicle for any  violation  of  subdivision  (d)  of
section eleven hundred eleven of this article.
(m)   Any  city  that  adopts  a  demonstration  program  pursuant  to
subdivision (a) of this section shall submit an annual report  detailing
the   results   of   the   use  of  such  traffic-control  signal  photo
violation-monitoring system to the governor, the temporary president  of
the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or before the first day of
June  next succeeding the effective date of this section and on the same

date in each succeeding year  in  which  the  demonstration  program  is
operable.  Such report shall include, but not be limited to:
1.  a  description of the locations where traffic-control signal photo
violation-monitoring systems were used;
2. the aggregate number, type and severity of  accidents  reported  at
intersections  where a traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring
system is used for the three years preceding the  installation  of  such
system, to the extent the information is maintained by the department of
motor vehicles of this state;
3.  the  aggregate  number, type and severity of accidents reported at
intersections where a traffic-control signal photo  violation-monitoring
system is used for the reporting year, as well as for each year that the
traffic-control   signal  photo  violation-monitoring  system  has  been
operational,  to  the  extent  the  information  is  maintained  by  the
department of motor vehicles of this state;
4.  the  number  of  events  and number of violations recorded at each
intersection where a traffic-control signal  photo  violation-monitoring
system  is  used  and  in  the  aggregate on a daily, weekly and monthly
basis;
5. the number of notices of liability issued for  violations  recorded
by such system at each intersection where a traffic-control signal photo
violation-monitoring system is used;
6.  the  number  of fines imposed and total amount of fines paid after
first notice  of  liability  issued  for  violations  recorded  by  such
systems;
7.  the number and percentage of violations adjudicated and results of
such  adjudications  including  breakdowns  of  dispositions  made   for
violations recorded by such systems;
8.  the  total  amount  of  revenue  realized  by  such city from such
adjudications including a breakdown of revenue realized by such city for
each  year  since  deployment  of  its  traffic-control   signal   photo
violation-monitoring system;
9. expenses incurred by such city in connection with the program; and
10. quality of the adjudication process and its results.
(n)  It  shall  be  a  defense  to  any prosecution for a violation of
subdivision (d)  of  section  eleven  hundred  eleven  of  this  article
pursuant  to  a  local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to this section
that such traffic-control indications were malfunctioning at the time of
the alleged violation.
* NB Repealed December 1, 2024