What's happening
This bill establishes a commission to study and recommend measures to improve senior driver safety in New York State.
Why it matters
Rising Senior Driver Demographics. With projections indicating that by 2025, one in four drivers in New York will be over age 65, the bill addresses a rapidly growing segment of the driving population whose safety needs may differ from younger drivers.
High Fatal Accident Rates Among Seniors. The legislation points out that drivers 85 and older are involved in fatal accidents at higher rates than teenagers, highlighting a critical but sometimes overlooked public safety issue.
Comprehensive Approach to Senior Driving Risks. By mandating the study of factors like diminished vision, slower reactions, prescription drug effects, and the potential for modern assistive devices, the commission’s work could lead to multifaceted strategies to reduce accidents and fatalities.
Potential for Significant Policy Change. The commission is tasked with not just reviewing laws, but also recommending specific regulatory and legislative actions. This could result in new screening protocols, licensing rules, or requirements tailored to older drivers, impacting how seniors maintain driving privileges in New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Senior Driver Safety Panel
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4780
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 25, 2019
Introduced by Sens. PARKER, MAYER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to establish the senior driver safety commission and providing for its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Bill Geller act", in memory of Bill Geller, a forty-seven year old man from Somers, New York who was struck and killed by an eighty-eight year old driver as he was walking down a road on a clear, sunny day. Mr. Geller left a grieving family, including a young son. The driver was never charged in conjunction with his death.
§ 2. Legislative intent. 1. The legislature hereby finds and declares:
(a) seniors represent the fastest-growing segment of drivers, with current projections suggesting that a quarter of all drivers will be over 65 by 2025;
(b) drivers 85 years of age and older have a higher rate of fatal accidents than teenagers;
(c) accidents involving senior drivers are caused in large part by factors such as diminished peripheral vision, which can lead drivers to enter roadways in the path of oncoming vehicles; slower reaction time; a more limited range of movement; and poor night vision; and
(d) based upon the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's suggestions and comparative analysis of provisions across the states, New York State lags behind other states in adopting age-appropriate driving safeguards.
2. The legislature therefore finds and declares that a senior driver safety commission shall be established pursuant to this act.
§ 3. Senior driver safety commission. 1. The commission shall consist of twelve members. Four of the members shall be appointed by the gover-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10605-01-9
S. 4780 2
nor, of which one shall be from the department of motor vehicles, one shall be from the department of transportation and one shall be from the office for the aging. Three of the members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate. Three of the members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. All appointments shall be made within thirty days of the effective date of this act.
2. The commission shall, within twenty days following the appointment of all its members, elect a chairperson from among such members.
3. The commission shall study, examine and review the issue of senior driver safety. In conducting its study, the commission shall:
(a) evaluate the effectiveness of current laws and regulations in regards to senior driver safety;
(b) make regulatory and legislative recommendations necessary to increase the safety of all drivers, passengers and pedestrians;
(c) survey and assess the leading causes of senior driver car accidents;
(d) identify and analyze preventative measures that may be implemented by the state to reduce the number of accidents involving senior drivers;
(e) study and evaluate the availability and effectiveness of screening tests for identifying impaired drivers;
(f) survey and assess the problems of driving under the influence of prescription drugs often used by senior drivers;
(g) analyze and provide measures that may mitigate the risks associated with the operation of motor vehicles by senior drivers, including the use of non-traditional driving devices that may mitigate risks; and
(h) consider any other issues or matters the commission may deem appropriate to fulfill the scope of its charge.
4. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommendations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this act.
§ 4. As used in this act "senior driver" is defined as any individual aged 70 and older with a valid driver's license issued by the New York state department of motor vehicles.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect until the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law, when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to establish the senior driver safety commis- sion and providing for its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose
This bill establishes a senior drive safety commission.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 cites this legislation as the "Bill Geller Act", in memory of Bill Geller, a forty-seven year man from Somers, New York who was struck and killed by an eighty-eight year old man as he was walking down a street on a clear day.
Section 2 establishes the legislative intent, identifying the growing number of senior drivers and increased risk of accidents among this age group as they experience diminished peripheral vision, slower reaction time, limited range of movement, and poor night vision; identifies New York State as lagging other states in adopting provisions to address this demographic shift; and establishes a senior driver safety commis- sion. Section 2 provides that the senior driver safety commission shall consist of twelve members. Four members are to be appointed by the governor -- one from the department of motor vehicles, one from the department of transportation and one from the office for the aging. Three of the members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate. Three of the members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. All appointments shall be made within thirty days of the effective date of this act, and within twenty days of appointing its members, they shall elect a chairperson from among them. Section 2 also establishes the parameters of the commission's study and research concerning senior driver safety, including effectiveness of current laws, regulatory and legislative recommendations to increase the safety of all drivers, passengers and pedestrians. It also outlines that the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty days after the effec- tive date of this act.
Section 3 defines senior driver as any individual aged seventy and older with a valid driver's license issued by the New York state department of motor vehicles.
Section 4 establishes the effective date.
Justification
This legislation was introduced in response to the death of a 47 year old man from Somers who was struck and killed by an eighty eight year old driver as he was walking down the road on a clear day. Mr. Geller left behind a young son and grieving family. The driver was never charged in conjunction with his death. A commission designed to investi- gate ways New York State can keep pedestrians and drivers of all ages safe is crucial to avoid any further tragic accidents.
Seniors represent the fastest-growing segment of drivers, with current projections suggesting that a quarter of all drivers will be over sixty-five by 2025. Due to diminished peripheral vision, slower reaction time, more limited range of motion, and poor night vision, many older drivers have a higher rate of fatal accidents than teenagers. Yet, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New York State lags behind other states in adopting age-appropriate driving safeguards. The establishment of this commission begins to correct this gap in the legislation.
Legislative history
2017-18: S4047 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION 2015-16: A1905 (Mayer) referred to transportation 2014: A9329 (Mayer) referred to transportation
Fiscal implications
TBD
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.