What's happening
This bill allows state or municipal vehicles performing snow and ice removal to use green or alternating green and amber lights.
Why it matters
Increased Visibility & Safety. Allowing green or alternating green and amber lights on state or municipal snow and ice removal vehicles is intended to make these vehicles more visible to other drivers, especially during hazardous winter conditions, potentially reducing accidents.
Clear Identification of Service Vehicles. The specific use of green lights helps the public more easily recognize official snow and ice control vehicles, distinguishing them from other service or emergency vehicles and clarifying their purpose on the road.
Potential for Faster Road Clearing. Enhanced visibility may allow these vehicles to operate more efficiently and with fewer interruptions, possibly leading to quicker snow and ice removal and safer roadways during winter storms.
Consistency With Other States/Best Practices. The change aligns New York with practices in other regions where green or alternating lights are used for similar vehicles, potentially improving interstate driver understanding and safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Green Lights on Plows
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
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.
Allow Green Lights on Plows
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Monica P. Wallace
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4714
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 21, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- 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 the use of green lights on municipal vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 41 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph 5-a to read as follows:
5-a. Green light or alternating green and amber light. Green lights or alternating green and amber lights may be affixed to any motor vehicle owned by the state or any municipality engaged in the removal of ice, snow, or other material the from highway or roadway and in other operations designed to control snow and ice.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07843-01-9
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 the use of green lights on municipal vehicles
Purpose or general idea of bill
Authorizes state and municipally-owned vehicles to affix green or alter- nating green and amber lights to motor vehicles engaged in snow and ice removal for the purpose of increasing visibility during winter weather events.
Summary of provisions
Section one - amends subdivision 41 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law to allow state and municipally-owned motor vehicles to use green lights or alternating green and amber lights engaged in snow and ice removal or maintenance.
Section two - sets the effective date.
Justification
This legislation seeks to expand access to green lights to state and municipally-owned snow removal vehicles for the purpose of increased visibility and public safety.
Studies show that a green light is brighter to color-deficient individ- uals than any other light, making it the safest option for vehicles that need to be seen from far distances and during times of low visibility due to winter weather.
As a result, several states that experience similar winter weather to New York have been amending their laws in recent years to allow green lights on state and municipally-owned snow removal vehicles. Michigan and Ohio have each made the move to green lights snow removal equipment, citing the expected decrease in plow-involved traffic accidents and general increased safety for plow operators working to maintain roads and highways.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
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.