Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced that the governor signed into law recently passed Assembly legislation, including 5 bills sponsored by Santabarbara, to increase safety in the limousine industry. Santabarbara has long been fighting to pass this legislative package following the stretch limousine crash in Schoharie County on Oct. 6, 2018, that claimed the lives of 20 people.

“Following the deadly limousine crash in Schoharie that claimed the lives of 20 people, the need for updated laws governing stretch limousines was apparent”, said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “That’s why work on this important legislative package has continued here at the State Capitol on behalf of the families that have lost loved ones and for the safety of our communities,” Santabarbara said. “While we see these important bills signed into law to strengthen regulations and improve standards here in New York, I also urge US Congress and Senate leaders to come together and pass similar measures in Washington DC to ensure the safety of passengers in every state.”

The legislative package includes a bill, which Santabarbara sponsored, that would require the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to maintain and annually update its website to provide information on motor carriers operating stretch limousines (A.9059). This information would include the carrier’s name, location, address and region of operation, the number and nature of the carrier’s traffic violations and data relating to the specific vehicles. Another measure he authored would require stretch limousine drivers to hold a commercial driver’s license with a passenger endorsement and that drivers and businesses comply with Department of Transportation (DOT) safety regulations (A.8474-A).

Santabarbara also championed a measure that would require the DOT to establish and publicize a toll-free hotline that allows individuals to report safety issues about stretch limousines (A.8214-B). In addition, he sponsored bills to require stretch limousines to use commercial Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology while operating in New York (A.9058) and increase penalties for illegal U-turn violations committed by stretch limousine drivers (A.8172-B).

To further improve limousine safety, Santabarbara helped pass legislation to:

• authorize the DOT to impound or immobilize stretch limousines that fail a safety inspection until the vehicle is repaired (A.9056);
• require the installation of approved seatbelts in all stretch limousines and that they be clearly visible, accessible and in good working condition (A.9057);
• require motor carriers to conduct pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing of drivers who operate stretch limousines, taxis and liveries that hold nine or more passengers (A.712-A);
• establish a stretch limousine passenger safety task force to study and provide a final report of other outstanding safety issues in the limousine industry (A.1316-C); and
• require taxi and livery passengers aged 16 or older be restrained by a seatbelt regardless of where they are sitting and prohibit persons from operating a taxi or livery vehicle unless all passengers between the ages of 8 and 15 are restrained by seatbelts (A.8990).

“We’ll never forget the lives lost on that terrible day, and it’s imperative we do all that we can to prevent another community from feeling this type of pain and loss,” Santabarbara said. “These changes are long overdue, and I’m glad the governor signed these safety measures into law to help keep New Yorkers out of harm’s way.”