Implements escalating penalties for vehicles which have been documented multiple times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with traffic-control indications up to a suspension of a vehicle's registration.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A933
SPONSOR: Carroll TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to implementing
escalating penalties for vehicles which have been documented multiple
times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with
traffic-control indications
PURPOSE:
To implement a system of escalating penalties for vehicles that are
documented by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply
with traffic control indications. This bill is meant to deter drivers
from committing repeated traffic control indication violations through
an escalating fine structure which after six violations over a two year
period would require for the registration on the car to be suspended for
ninety days.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision (e) of section 1111-a of the vehicle and traffic
law, as amended by chapter 479 of the laws of 1994, is amended to
include that the first two photo violations within a two year period
will be fined fifty dollars each, one hundred fifty for the third
violation, two hundred fifty for the fourth violation, three hundred
dollars for the fifth violation and three hundred fifty dollars for the
sixth violation within a two year period.
2. (i) The insurance company for which the vehicle is insured shall be
notified about. the vehicle has been documented five times within a two
year period by a photo violation monitoring device.
(ii) The vehicle's registration, after being documented six times over a
two year period by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an
operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications shall be
suspended for a period of ninety days.
(iii) Does not apply .to rental vehicles
3. By certified mail, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall notify the
owner of registered vehicles after the vehicle's fourth documentation in
two years by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply
with traffic-control indications that after two more documented
violations, the registration of the vehicle shall be suspended for nine-
ty days.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately
JUSTIFICATION:
On March 5th 2018, a motorist ran through a red light into a crowded
sidewalk and killed two young children. The driver of the vehicle had
accumulated eight documented photo violations for failure to comply with
traffic-control indications over an 8 month period. If this bill were
law, the registration on her car would have been suspended; she would
have been unable to drive that car legally and may therefore have not
been behind the wheel that day and not been able to kill those two chil-
dren. This bill, through its escalating fine structure, insurance
reporting, and ultimate vehicle registration suspension is meant to
deter drivers from speeding and behaving recklessly while operating a
motor vehicle.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.10258 from 2017-18 A.3413 from 2019-20
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
