What's happening
This bill suspends vehicle registrations for set periods if a car is repeatedly caught by traffic cameras running red lights, with escalating penalties for repeat offenses.
Why it matters
Targets repeat offenders with escalating penalties. By suspending vehicle registrations for set periods after 6, 9, and 12 red light camera violations in 12, 24, and 36 months respectively, this bill aims to deter chronic traffic law violators more forcefully than fines alone.
Increases consequences beyond monetary fines. Losing the legal ability to drive a vehicle for up to 90 days (for the most frequent offenders) adds real inconvenience and potential hardship, likely making drivers take automated enforcement more seriously.
Notifies owners before penalties escalate. The law requires the DMV to notify vehicle owners by certified mail after the 4th, 7th, and 10th violations, giving them a clear warning and a chance to change behavior before suspension is triggered.
Exempts rental vehicles. By excluding rentals, the bill focuses on vehicles that are more likely to have consistent operators, making penalties more fairly targeted at those responsible for repeated violations rather than occasional renters.
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Who cares
Vehicle owners
Their vehicles would face registration suspensions of 15 days after six camera-documented traffic-signal violations in 12 months, 30 days after nine in 24 months, and 90 days after 12 in 36 months.
Department of Motor Vehicles
The department would have to send certified-mail warnings after a vehicle’s fourth violation in 12 months, seventh in 24 months, and tenth in 36 months, warning that two more would trigger suspension.
Rental vehicle companies
Rental vehicles would be exempt from the bill’s registration suspensions.
Headline styles
Suspend Repeat Red Light Cars
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
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.
Suspend Repeat Traffic Offenders
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Robert C. Carroll
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3132
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 4, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- 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 suspending the registration of a vehicle which has been documented multiple times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1118 to read as follows:
§ 1118. Failure to comply with traffic control signal. (a) The registration of a vehicle which has been documented six times within a twelve month 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 fifteen days commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the sixth violation has been mailed.
(b) The registration of a vehicle which has been documented nine times within a twenty-four month 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 thirty days commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the ninth violation has been mailed.
(c) The registration of a vehicle which has been documented twelve times within a thirty-six month 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 commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the twelfth violation has been mailed.
(d) This section shall not apply to a rental vehicle, as defined in section one hundred thirty-seven-a of this chapter.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01906-01-9
S. 3132 2
(e) The department shall, by certified mail, alert the owner of a registered vehicle after the vehicles fourth documentation in twelve months, seventh documentation in twenty-four months, and tenth documentation in thirty-six months by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications that such vehicle shall be suspended after two more documentations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 suspending the registration of a vehicle which has been documented multiple times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an operator there- of to comply with traffic-control indications
Purpose
To suspend the registration of a vehicle that has been issued citations for verified violations for failing to comply with traffic-control restrictions. The length of the suspension is dependent on the number of violations in either a 12, 24 or a 36 month period.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 - The vehicle law and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1118 to read as follow, "The registration of a vehicle which has been documented six times within a twelve month 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 fifteen days commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the sixth violation has been mailed;
(b) The vehicle law and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1118 to read as follow, "The registration of a vehicle which has been documented nine times within a twenty four month 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 thirty days commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the ninth violation has been mailed;
(c) The vehicle law and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1118 to read as follow, "The registration of a vehicle which has been documented twelve times within a thirty six month 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 commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the twelfth violation has been mailed;
(d) This shall not apply to rental cars
(e) The Department of motor vehicles shall by certified mail alert the registered owner of the car two violations prior to the triggering of a suspension that their registrations will be suspended if the commit two more violations within that time period.
Justification
A vehicle's registration will be suspended for fifteen days after a sixth violation, for thirty days after a ninth violation in a twenty- four month period, and for Ninety days after a twelfth violation in a thirty sixth month period. Fines alone have acted as a big enough deterrent to people change their driving habits. In March of 2018, a motorist ran over a mother and child in a crosswalk, her license most likely would have been suspended because of an accumulation of traffic violations if a police officer rather than a photo-capturing device had witnessed her previous violations. This will cause the driver of the vehicle to consider the importance of safe driving or risk the ability to legally operate their vehicles.
Legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
Minimal to state depending on the number of violators
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.