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S04047 Summary:

BILL NOS04047
 
SAME ASNo Same As
 
SPONSORPARKER
 
COSPNSRMAYER
 
MLTSPNSR
 
 
Establishes the senior driver safety commission and provides for its powers and duties.
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S04047 Actions:

BILL NOS04047
 
02/02/2017REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
01/03/2018REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
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S04047 Memo:

Memo not available
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S04047 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          4047
 
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    February 2, 2017
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
        AN ACT to establish the senior driver safety  commission  and  providing
          for  its  powers  and  duties;  and  providing  for the repeal of such
          provisions upon expiration thereof

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  This  act  shall  be  known and may be cited as the "Bill
     2  Geller act", in memory of Bill Geller, a forty-seven year old  man  from
     3  Somers,  New  York who was struck and killed by an eighty-eight year old
     4  driver as he was walking down a road on a clear, sunny day.  Mr.  Geller
     5  left  a  grieving  family,  including  a young son. The driver was never
     6  charged in conjunction with his death.
     7    § 2. Legislative intent. 1. The legislature hereby finds and declares:
     8    (a) seniors represent the fastest-growing  segment  of  drivers,  with
     9  current  projections  suggesting  that  a quarter of all drivers will be
    10  over 65 by 2025;
    11    (b) drivers 85 years of age and older have  a  higher  rate  of  fatal
    12  accidents than teenagers;
    13    (c)  accidents  involving  senior  drivers are caused in large part by
    14  factors such as diminished peripheral vision, which can lead drivers  to
    15  enter roadways in the path of oncoming vehicles; slower reaction time; a
    16  more limited range of movement; and poor night vision; and
    17    (d)  based  upon  the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's
    18  suggestions and comparative analysis of provisions  across  the  states,
    19  New  York  State  lags  behind  other states in adopting age-appropriate
    20  driving safeguards.
    21    2. The legislature therefore finds and declares that a  senior  driver
    22  safety commission shall be established pursuant to this act.
    23    §  3. Senior driver safety commission. 1. The commission shall consist
    24  of twelve members. Four of the members shall be appointed by the  gover-
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02486-01-7

        S. 4047                             2
 
     1  nor,  of  which  one shall be from the department of motor vehicles, one
     2  shall be from the department of transportation and one shall be from the
     3  office for the aging.  Three of the members shall be  appointed  by  the
     4  temporary  president  of  the  senate.    Three  of the members shall be
     5  appointed by the speaker of the assembly. One member shall be  appointed
     6  by  the  minority leader of the senate. One member shall be appointed by
     7  the minority leader of the assembly.  All  appointments  shall  be  made
     8  within thirty days of the effective date of this act.
     9    2.  The commission shall, within twenty days following the appointment
    10  of all its members, elect a chairperson from among such members.
    11    3. The commission shall study, examine and review the issue of  senior
    12  driver safety. In conducting its study, the commission shall:
    13    (a)  evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  current laws and regulations in
    14  regards to senior driver safety;
    15    (b) make  regulatory  and  legislative  recommendations  necessary  to
    16  increase the safety of all drivers, passengers and pedestrians;
    17    (c)  survey  and  assess the leading causes of senior driver car acci-
    18  dents;
    19    (d) identify and analyze preventative measures that may be implemented
    20  by the state to reduce the number of accidents involving senior drivers;
    21    (e) study and evaluate the availability and effectiveness of screening
    22  tests for identifying impaired drivers;
    23    (f) survey and assess the problems of driving under the  influence  of
    24  prescription drugs often used by senior drivers;
    25    (g)  analyze  and provide measures that may mitigate the risks associ-
    26  ated with  the operation of motor vehicles by senior drivers,  including
    27  the use of non-traditional driving devices that may mitigate risks; and
    28    (h)  consider  any  other  issues  or  matters the commission may deem
    29  appropriate to fulfill the scope of its charge.
    30    4. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommen-
    31  dations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty
    32  days after the effective date of this act.
    33    § 4. As used in this act "senior driver" is defined as any  individual
    34  aged  70  and older with a valid driver's license issued by the New York
    35  state department of motor vehicles.
    36    § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect
    37  until the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have  become  a  law,
    38  when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
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