Whether you believe in global warming or not, one thing that can't be argued is that the US has been subjected to some torrential storms over the last couple of years. Atlanta received 20 inches of rain in a day and earlier this spring Nashville was struck with a massive flood. Some major floods can be predicted but an intense afternoon thunderstorm can also rapidly produce flash flood conditions that can be treacherous for drivers on the road. Drivers in these conditions are surprised at how much damage just a small amount of water on the road can do and, as a result, more than half of the deaths attributed to flash floods are auto related.

Before you go out in these conditions it's a good time to review the hazards of flooded roads and steps you should take to avoid them or, in the worst scenario, to escape from a flooding situation. Here are some important facts about to remember about flooding:

• Every flood is dangerous to drivers. Even if the water running across the road appears shallow, what you can’t see under the rushing water is the greatest hazard of all. The road could be washed out and the water may be much deeper than you realize. Even if it appears intact, the roadway could collapse under the weight of your vehicle.


• Less than an inch of water can cause a driver to lose control.


• As little as six inches of rushing water has enough force to push your car off the road.


• Your car can float in as little as two feet of water and you could be washed away into a flooded stream or river.


• In hilly or mountainous areas, flash floods can occur long after the rain has stopped and far away from the site of a rain storm.


• The force of rushing water and debris can be strong enough to cause bridges to collapse.


• Summer thunderstorms can dump one to two inches of rain in a very short time.


• Flood waters can rise at a rapid rate.

What should you do to avoid flooded roadways?

• If you live in mountainous, hilly, or flood prone areas, pay attention to weather reports. If there are warnings of flooding, take an alternate route if it is available. Better yet, stay home.


• If the roadway is flooded, even a little, don’t attempt to drive through the water. Turn around and take an alternate route.


• Temporary barriers blocking flooded roadways are placed by emergency personnel for a reason; never drive around them into a flooded area.


• If you find yourself stalled in rising flood waters, do not attempt to stay with the car. A floating car can be swept into deeper water and can easily roll over. Escape if possible and get to higher ground immediately. Many flood related fatalities occur when people try to stay with the vehicle.


• If the rushing water is too deep and the current is too strong, you will have to make a judgment call about staying with the vehicle. Turn around before you get into that position.


• Be especially cautious when driving at night when it is much more difficult to recognize flooding conditions.


• Remember that emergency personnel will be overwhelmed and may not be able to get to you for some time.

Check out additional driver safety tips on driving in the rain or sleet.

Labels: driver safety, driver safety techniques, driver safety tips, flooded roads

Each year, just in time for the influx of motorists traveling for Memorial Day Weekend more than 500 police agencies around New York State come to together to remind New York drivers to "Click It or Ticket". The annual, Buckle Up New York campaign begins Monday May, 24 reminding all New Yorkers to buckle up every time they get behind the wheel. The campaign runs for approximately two weeks and ends on Sunday, June 6. There will be safety restraint checkpoints set up throughout the state helping to enforce New York’s mandatory safety restraint law.

Safety restraint citations will be issued to those motorists caught without their seat belts on during these checkpoints. However, it’s important to remember that wearing a seat belt is not about avoiding a citation. Wearing a seat belt is about saving a life. This goal of this initiative is help put an end to the fatalities that could have been prevented if people would have taken the two or three seconds to fasten their seatbelts when they got into their vehicles.

In 1984, New York State became the first state to enact a mandatory safety restraint law. The law helped improve seat belt use statewide. Only 12 percent of people used their seat belts in 1984. By, 1998 74 percent of people used them. Although that may seem like a huge increase, most of it occurred in the 1980’s. By the late 1990’s the growth of seat belt use had become stagnate. Law enforcement officials needed a way to combat the number one cause of death on New York’s highways.

In May, 1999 just in time for the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, New York State Police kicked off a campaign called “Buckle up New York” designed to increase the use of safety restraints to 85 percent by the end of the year 2000. Currently, New York has a seatbelt compliance rate of about 89 percent, which is above the national average of 83 percent. With the exception of New York City, the state boasts a compliance rate of over 90 percent.

During the 2009 Memorial Day Weekend Buckle up New York initiative 22,059 safety restraint citations were issued at over 137 checkpoints through the state. The New York State Police investigated 15 fatal crashes during the same time period. After the investigations, it was concluded that eight of those fatalities could have been avoided if they had been wearing their seatbelts.

Labels: driver education, driver safety, seatbelt laws, traffic safety

The New York State Graduated Driver License Program limits the driving privileges for New York drivers under the age of 18 and who posses either a junior learners permit or a junior drivers license. Some of the limitations placed on the young drivers include where in New York State they can drive and what times of the day they are permitted to drive. Understanding the privileges and limitations is extremely important because if young drivers are convicted of violating the rules their driving privileges could be suspended or revoked for 60 days. New York State has general restrictions for young drivers with learner permits and junior licenses. However, there are also specific restrictions for young drivers depending on the region of the state in which they are driving.

The general restrictions for young drivers with learners permit are the same throughout the state. Teenagers are eligible to obtain their learner’s permit once they turn 16. After they have held their learners permit for six months they are eligible for their junior driver’s license.

Drivers with learner’s permits are prohibited from driving:

• On streets within New York City Park’s


• On bridges or through tunnels under the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s jurisdiction


• On the following parkways in Westchester County: Cross Country, Hutchinson River, Saw Mill Ricer and Taconic State


• On a DMV Road Test Area


• Without a proper supervising driver

After someone under the age of 18 has held their permit for at least six months they are eligible to take the road test and obtain their Junior Driver License. Drivers possessing a Junior License are not permitted to have more than one passenger under the age of 21 in their vehicle. The only exception to this rule is for immediate family members. In New York State, in order to get a Senior Drive License at 17 instead of 18 young drivers need to take a driver education course as well as complete 50 hours of supervised driving, 15 of which needs to take place after sunset.

New York State has specific driving restrictions for young drivers depending on which region of they state they are driving in. New York is divided into four regions and each region has different restrictions for young drivers. Below, you will see a breakdown of the restrictions by region for drivers with learner’s permits and junior licenses.

Upstate New York – Junior Learner’s Permit

• Supervised driving between 5am – 9pm. Under the supervision of someone at least 21 and with a valid license


• Supervised driving between 9pm – 5am. The supervisor must be a parent, guardian or driving instructor.


• Only one passenger under the age of 21 is allowed in the vehicle. Unless they passengers are member of your immediate family.

Upstate New York – Junior Driver’s License

• Unsupervised driving between 5am – 9pm


• Unsupervised driving between 9pm – 5am only to and from employment (must have proof) or a school course.


• Supervised driving by a parent, guardian, or driving instructor between 9pm-5am when not driving to or from work or a school course.


• Only one passenger under 21 that is not immediate family.

Lower Hudson Valley – Junior Learner’s Permit
(Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties)

• Follows the same privileges and restrictions for as Upstate New York.

Lower Hudson Valley - Junior Driver’s License
(Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties)

• Follows the same privileges and restrictions for as Upstate New York.

Long Island – Junior Leaner’s Permit
(Nassau and Suffolk Counties)

• Supervised driving between 5am-9pm. The supervisor must be a parent, guardian, a person with written authorization from your parent or your guardian to supervise your driving or a driving instructor. The supervisor must be at least 21 with a valid driver’s license.


• Driving is prohibited between 9pm-5am


• Only the supervising driver may sit in the front seat


• Only one passenger under 21, unless the passenger(s) are immediate family.

Long Island – Junior Driver’s License
(Nassau and Suffolk Counties)

• Unsupervised driving between 5am-9pm between home, place of employment (must have proof) and school or driver’s ed courses.


• Supervised driving between 9pm-5am. The supervisor must be a parent, guardian or driving instructor.


• No more than one passenger under 21, unless the passenger(s) are immediate family.

New York City – Junior Learner’s Permit
(5 Boroughs)

• Supervised driving between 5am-9pm. Supervisor must be a parents, guardian or driving instructor.


• Vehicle being driven must have dual breaks.


• The only passenger allowed in the front seat is the supervising driver.


• No more than one passenger under 21 that is not immediate family.

New York City – Junior Driver’s License
(5 Boroughs)

• Supervised driving between 5am-9pm. Supervisor must be a parent, guardian or driving instructor.


• Supervised driving between 9pm-5am. Supervisor must be a parent, guardian or driving instructor.


• The vehicle must have dual breaks.


• No more than one passenger under 21 that is not immediate family.

Learn more about how Graduated Driver License (GDL) Laws compare between states at our Teen Safe Driving Blog.

Labels: drivers license, gdl law, graduated drivers license, learners permit, new york driving laws, new york gdl laws, ny driving laws

As New York State Police kick off their annual Memorial Day Buckle Up New York Campaign, it is probably a good time to review New York’s safety restraint laws. It would be pretty aggravating to be issued a citation at a check point without realizing you were doing anything wrong.

First and foremost, New York mandatory safety restraint law is classified as primary enforcement. This classification allows law enforcement officer to pull you over and issue a citation for failure to wear a seat belt. A ticket may also be issued to a driver who fails to adhere to New York’s child safety restraint guidelines.

New York State’s Safety Restraint Laws

• The driver and any passenger in the front-seat must wear a seat belt.


• Drivers and front-seated passengers over 16 can be fined up to $50 each for failure to wear a seat belt.


• Every occupant in a car driven by someone with a learner’s permit or junior license must wear a seat belt regardless of age or seating position.


• Each passenger under 16 must be properly restrained according to their age.


• It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure all passengers under 16 obey the law. The driver can be fined $25-100 and receive three points on his or her license for each violation.


• Seat belt use in not required in taxis, livery vehicles, emergency vehicles, vehicles made prior to 1965 or by passengers on city buses.

New York State’s Child Safety Restraint Laws

• Children under four must be properly secured in a federally approved child safety seat. Note- A child under four that weight over 40 pounds may be restrained in a booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt.


• Children between the ages of four and eight must use a booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt or a child safety seat. Note – a child under the age of eight who is taller than 4’9’ or weighs more than 100 pounds is allowed to use a seat belt that has both a lap and a shoulder belt and does not need a booster seat or a child safety seat.


• For children who are 8, but are shorter than 4’9’ or weigh less than 100 pounds it is recommended that you continue to use a child safety restraint system.

New York State’s Seat Belts on School Buses Law

• According to New York State requirements all school buses manufactured after July 1, 1987 must be equipped with seat belts.


• Schools are required to make the seatbelts accessible every student.


• Children under 4 must be placed in properly installed federally-certified child safety seats.

New York State Seat Belt Law Medical Exemption

• If you have a physical condition that will not allow the proper use of a seat belt you could be except from the law with a doctor’s note.


• The note must be on a physician’s letterhead and you must carry when you’re behind the wheel and in the passenger seat.

Labels: new york driver safety, new york driving laws, seatbelt laws, seatbelts