What's happening
This bill makes failing to yield to authorized emergency vehicles a misdemeanor with escalating fines and jail time for repeat offenses.
Why it matters
Establishes criminal consequences (misdemeanor charges) for not yielding to emergency vehicles. , signaling a shift from what may have previously been treated as a traffic infraction to a criminal offense with a permanent record.
Creates a tiered penalty system that escalates with repeated violations within a ten-year period. , meaning that people who repeatedly fail to yield face significantly harsher consequences, including higher fines and longer potential jail time.
Aims to increase deterrence and promote public and first responder safety. by attaching serious legal repercussions to the failure to yield, which could reduce dangerous encounters between motorists and emergency vehicles.
May have broader legal and social impacts. , such as affecting employment, insurance rates, or immigration status for those convicted under the new misdemeanor classification, making compliance more urgent for drivers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Penalties for Not Yielding
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2135
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 22, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to penalties for failure to yield to authorized emergency vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1144 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
(c) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and for a first conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment; for a conviction of a second violation, both of which were committed within a period of ten years, a person shall be punishable by a fine of not more than six hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days or by both such fine and imprisonment; upon a conviction of a third or subsequent violation, all of which were committed within a period of ten years, a person shall be punishable by a fine of not more than nine hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one hundred eighty days or by both such fine and imprisonment.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08160-01-9
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 penalties for failure to yield to authorized emergency vehicles
Purpose
To amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to penalties for fail- ure to yield to authorized emergency vehicles.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends Section 1144 of the vehicle and traffic law (duty to yield to an emergency vehicle) by adding a new subdivision (c) that states that any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. First conviction shall be punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days or by both. For a conviction of a second violation within a period of ten years a person shall be punishable by a fine of not more than six hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days or by both. For a conviction of a third violation within a period of ten years a person shall be punishable by a fine of not more than nine hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one-hun- dred eighty days or by both.
Section 2 of the bill provides that the act shall take effect immediate- ly.
Existing law
Existing law does not provide such penalties.
Justification
It is in the public's best interest for drivers to yield to emergency vehicles. In a time of an emergency every second counts. It is every motorist's responsibility to not impede emergency vehicles which will cause delays in responding to the emergency. Establishing such failure to yield as a misdemeanor reinforces the critical importance of this duty.
Legislative history
03/14/16 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
Fiscal implications
None
Local fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.