What's happening
This bill requires certain slow-moving vehicles in New York to display both a slow-moving vehicle emblem and a speed identification symbol based on their design speed.
Why it matters
Mandates clear speed identification. The bill requires that certain slow-moving vehicles not only display the familiar triangular slow-moving vehicle emblem, but also a new speed identification symbol showing the vehicle’s actual maximum design speed, making it easier for drivers to gauge how quickly these vehicles can travel.
Targets a broader range of machinery. The requirement applies to farm machinery, implements of husbandry, and road construction and maintenance machinery, including both self-propelled and towed units, ensuring more types of slow-moving equipment on public roads are clearly marked.
Improves safety and reduces confusion. By mandating both the emblem and a speed-specific symbol, the bill addresses a safety gap—drivers approaching from behind will now have clearer information about how slow a vehicle may be, reducing the risk of rear-end collisions and unsafe passing.
Standardizes compliance and documentation. The legislation references American National Standards for the new symbols and requires operators of certain faster tractors to carry manufacturer documentation about their speed capability, promoting uniformity and aiding law enforcement or regulatory checks.
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Require Slow Vehicle Speed Signs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.478
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.226
- Substituted for A9522A
- Referred to ways and means
- Returned to assembly
- Repassed senate
- Amended on third reading 6746a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Returned to senate
Show 15 earlier actions
- Recalled from assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–1
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.766
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.2188
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Slow Vehicle Speed Signs
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Carrie Woerner
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6746--A Cal. No. 766
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 15, 2017
Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec.
8 -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to slow moving vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 36 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 322 of the laws of 1969, paragraph (b) as amended by chapter 350 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
36. (a) (i) The slow-moving vehicle emblem as developed by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers shall be recognized as the official state slow moving vehicle emblem. The commissioner of motor vehicles shall adopt standards and specifications for design, creation and use, in conformance with those recommendations of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers for the size, design and mounting of said slow-moving vehicle emblem.
(ii) The commissioner shall adopt standards and specifications for design, creation and use, in conformance with those recommendations of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers standard which meets the criteria of the American National Standards Institute/American Society for Testing and Materials S584 for the size, design and mounting of a speed identification symbol. A speed identification symbol shall indicate the maximum speed in miles per hour at which the unit of farm machinery, implement of husbandry and other
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13206-07-8
S. 6746--A 2
machinery including road construction and maintenance machinery to which it is mounted is designed by its manufacturer to operate.
(b) (i) Farm machinery and implements of husbandry and other machinery including road construction and maintenance machinery designed to operate at twenty-five miles per hour or less, traveling on a public highway during day or night, whether self-propelled or used in combination, shall each separately display a slow-moving vehicle emblem as specified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
(ii) (A) Farm machinery and implements of husbandry and other machinery including road construction and maintenance machinery designed to operate at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour but less than forty miles per hour, traveling on a public highway during day or night, whether self-propelled or used in combination, shall each separately display a slow-moving vehicle emblem and a speed identification symbol as specified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
(B) If an agricultural tractor that is designed by its manufacturer to operate at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour but not greater than forty miles per hour is being operated on a street or highway at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour but less than forty miles per hour and is towing, pulling, or otherwise drawing a unit of farm machinery, the unit of farm machinery shall display a slow-moving vehicle emblem and a speed identification symbol that is the same as the speed identification symbol that is displayed on the agricultural tractor.
(C) When an agricultural tractor is designed by its manufacturer to operate at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour but less than forty miles per hour is being operated on a street or highway at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour, the operator shall possess some documentation published or provided by the manufacturer indicating the maximum speed in miles per hour at which the manufacturer designed the agricultural tractor to operate.
(c) The use of such emblem and symbol shall be in addition to any lighting devices, flags or other equipment required by law. Such emblem and symbol shall be used only on farm machinery and implements of husbandry on road construction and maintenance machinery, and on such other vehicles, machinery and equipment as may be specified in regulations issued by the commissioner. All use shall be in accordance with such regulations. Use of such emblem as a clearance marker or on stationary objects on the highways is prohibited.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to slow moving vehicles
Purpose
To increase the speed at which a slow moving vehicle, with an attached slow-moving vehicle emblem, may travel on roadways, to help strengthen farm equipment safety.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Section 375 of Vehicle and Traffic Law is amended to direct the Commissioner to adopt standards and specification for design, creation and use, in conformance with American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers standard which meets the criteria of the Ameri- can National Standards Institute / American Society for Testing and Materials 5584 for the size, design and mounting of a speed identifica- tion symbol. A speed identification symbol shall indicate the maximum speed, in miles per hour at which the unit of farm machinery, implement of husbandry and other machinery including road construction and mainte- nance machinery to which it is mounted is designed by its manufacturer to operate.
Any farm machinery and implements of husbandry and other machinery including road construction and maintenance machinery designed to oper- ate greater than 25 miles per hour, but less than 40 miles per hour, traveling on a public highway, shall display a slow-moving vehicle emblem and speed identification symbol.
Section 2: Establishes the effective date.
Justification
As agricultural technologies continue to improve, it is important to keep regulations updated to reflect those changes. Current state law requires the slow moving emblem to be displayed on agricultural equip- ment designed to operate at 25 miles per hour or less when traveling on public highways. However, farm tractors and other equipment are being designed to travel at speeds above 25 miles per hour and some are even designed to travel at speeds to greater than 35 miles per hour. The State of Iowa has increased the speed at which equipment may be operated with a SMV emblem to 35 miles per hour to accommodate agricultural equipment traveling at speeds greater than 25 miles per hour.
The legislation would still require that the slow moving vehicle emblem be displayed on all farm machinery, whether self-propelled or towed, but would increase the speed at which the machinery could travel from 25 mph to 35 mph. The slow-moving vehicle emblem alerts other drivers that the vehicle is travelling at a reduced speed and to use caution when driving behind the machinery. One of the major reasons why accidents occur with farm equipment is that nonfarm drivers fail to adequately react and respond when driving around farm equipment. For example, non-farm driv- ers often do not anticipate how slow farm equipment travels and there- fore do not start to slow their vehicle as they approach the implements. Therefore, it is important to notify other drivers of the reduced speed.
Legislative history
2018: S.6746 passed Senate 61-1. 2017: S.6746 passed Senate 61-1.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect 180 days after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.