The 2010 Holiday Season is in full swing and the 2010 Holiday Traffic Plan is getting underway as well. The NYC DOT partnered with the NYPD and other agencies to develop this year’s plan which identifies Gridlock Alert Days, Traffic Management Initiatives, and Increased Enforcement Initiatives. Below, are some of the major highlights from the 2010 Holiday Traffic Plan.

Gridlock Alert Days

City officials designated several dates when an anticipated surge in traffic is expected. On the following dates, people are advised to use mass transit whenever possible:

• Friday, December 10


• Wednesday, December 15


• Thursday, December 16


• Friday, December 17


• Wednesday, December 22


• Thursday, December 23

Traffic Management Initiatives

• Restricted access to major bridges, tunnels, roadways and streets
  
• Expanded Use of DOT Traffic Monitoring Cameras
  
• Turn Restrictions – To alleviate congestion around Rockefeller Center there are planned temporary turn restrictions on 5th Avenue at 55th, 53rd, 51st, and 47th streets.
  
• 511NY – 511NY is a program that was recently launched by the New York State DOT. It is a new service offering free information on transportation services and traffic conditions throughout New York State. Users can obtain information by dialing 511 or visiting the website at www.511ny.org. This service provides relevant information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  

Increased Enforcement Initiatives

• Holiday Construction Embargo – A construction embargo is in place through 11:59 pm on Sunday January 2, 2011. This embargo will be strictly enforced. The locations and conditions of the embargo are available at the NYC DOT web site.


• Operation Safe Streets – From November 29 – December 29 the NYPD will increase enforcement in an effort to reduce accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Their goal is to make 2010 the safest holiday season ever. The increased enforcement will be concentrated in midtown and other key areas across the city. The NYPD will primarily focus on the following vehicular violations: driving while intoxicated, speeding, disobeying traffic signals, improper turns, and seatbelt violations. Additionally, the NYPD will place a special focus on taxis.


• Operation Move-Along – Addresses the traffic problems caused by double parking and unauthorized parking. There will be a zero tolerance policy towards existing curbside parking rules and regulations. The NYPD will place a special focus on major transportation hub and violators will be summoned, towed or booted.

Read more Holiday Shopping Safety Tips from the National Safety Commission.

Labels: driver safety tips, holiday safety, new york driving laws, parking regulations, 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

Junior drivers from other parts of the state may be unaware of the specifics that apply when they drive in New York City. The five boroughs that make up New York City have driving restrictions and privileges that in some instances differ from the rules of the road in other parts of the state for junior drivers. This article breaks down the privileges and restrictions associated with learners permits, limited junior licenses and junior licenses as outlined by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/).

Junior Learners Permit

Privileges

Driving under the supervision of a parent, guardian or driving instructor.

• The supervisor must be at least 21-years-old.


• The supervisor must have a valid driver's license and be sitting in the front seat


• The vehicle driven by the permit holder must have dual brakes.



• Only one person under the age of 21, who is not an immediate family member, is allowed to be present in the vehicle.




• Note – this law changed on February 22, 2010. If you obtained your permit before February 22, 2010 you are allowed to drive with two passengers under the age of 21 who are not immediate family members




Restrictions

• Driving between the hours of 9pm and 5am is not allowed for any reason


• Driving in a DMV road test area is not allowed at any time. Even if testing is not taking place.
  
• Drivers with Junior Learners Permits are not allowed to drive on certain roads:
  
  
  
  • Streets within any New York City park
  
  
  • Driving on a bridge or through a tunnel that falls under the Tribourough Bridge and Tunnel Authority's jurisdiction
  
  
  • Cross County Parkway, Hudson River Parkway, Saw Mill River Parkway, Taconic State Parkway (all in Westchester County)
  
  
  
  
  
  Limited Junior License/Junior License
  After drivers have held their Junior Learners Permit for 6 months they are eligible to take the road test for their Limited Junior License or Junior License. When driving within the five boroughs of New York City there are not extra privileges for a driver with a Junior License versus a driver with a Limited Junior License. The same privileges and restrictions apply.
  
  Privileges
  
• Drivers are no longer prohibited from driving on the parkways, bridges, tunnels, etc. they were prohibited from driving on while the possessed a Junior Learners Permit.


• The same driving rules apply when driving between the hours of 5am and 9pm as applied to drivers with Junior Learners Permit


• Driving is now allowed between the hours of 9pm and 5 am




• As long as there is supervision from a parent, guardian, instructor who is at least 21 and has a valid driver's license.


• The vehicle must have dual brakes.


• The supervisor must be in the front seat.




Penalties for Traffic Violations as a Junior Driver
Junior drivers will lose all driving privileges for 60 days if they are convicted of either one serious traffic violation or two other non-serious violations. According to New York State Law this will be viewed as a 60 day suspension.

However, if a Junior Driver is convicted of one serious traffic violation or two other violations within six months after having their suspended license restored the state will revoke all driving privileges for 60 days.

Senior License
In New York City you must be 18 years old to receive a senior license from the DMV. If you have a valid junior license you will automatically receive a senior license in the mail. If you are over 18 and you pass a road test you will also automatically receive a senior license.

When you are age 18, the DMV will issue you a senior license (Class D or Class M). If you have a valid junior license (Class DJ or MJ) you will automatically receive your senior license in the mail. If you pass your road test when you are age 18 you will automatically receive a senior license. 17-year-old-drivers are also eligible to take receive their senior license if they have completed a state-approved driver education course. To obtain a senior license, 17-year-old-drivers must bring their junior license and the driver education certificate of completion to any DMV office.

As it implies, a senior driver’s license does not carry any restrictions.

Labels: driving restrictions, new york driving laws

In the fall of 2001 former New York Governor, George Pataki, signed a bill forbidding drivers from talking on their cell phones while driving. New York was the first state to enact such a law. The only exception to this law was that drivers could use hands free microphones (or a Bluetooth nowadays). Beginning on December 1, 2001 any driver in the state of New York caught talking on his or her cell phone while driving would be issued a ticket for $100.

As the first state to enact such a law New York received a lot of attention. Eventually, several other states followed in New York’s footsteps and passed similar laws of their own. However, in the years following the passage of New York’s cell phone law a new communication trend began. Text messages and the use of other hand held communication devices were becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, New York’s Law did not prohibit texting and driving. It only banned talking and driving.

The first momentous push for a Text Messaging Ban began in June of 2007. In Upstate New York five teenage girls were in an SUV headed down the highway. When the driver suddenly veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a big rig. While investigating the crash, it was discovered that the driver had sent and received text messages in the moments before the crash. All five girls died in the crash, only a few days after they graduated high school.

Many counties feared similar crashes would take place without a law banning texting while driving. Since, it was not going to be enforced on a state level many counties took matters into their own hands. In 2008, Westchester and Nassau counties were among the first to pass laws. Westchester County started an education campaign in local high schools to inform new drivers of the law. County officials felt the law would benefit younger drivers. The younger, more inexperienced drivers were part of the text message generation and they felt a ban on text messaging while driving help new drivers pay attention.

On August 27, 2009 Governor David Paterson signed a bill that would finally ban drivers from text messaging while driving on a statewide level. In addition to text messaging the law also bans the use of any portable electronic devices while driving. The law was put into effect on November 1, 2009 and breaking the law results in a fine of up to $150.

However, the law is considered a secondary offense. Meaning, if a cop sees a driver text messaging while stuck in traffic on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway the cop cannot pull the driver over and issue him or her a ticket. If however, the cop witness the driver speeding on the BQE and text messaging the driver can be pulled over and issued a ticket for both offenses.

On February 24, 2010 Governor Paterson proposed a change to the new law. He recommends the law be changed from a secondary law to primary law. The change would mean that the police officer who sees a driver text messaging while stuck in traffic can pull the driver without needing to find other reason. If the ban becomes a primary law, New York would not be the first state to raise the ban on text messaging from a secondary to primary law. Washington State Senate has already approved the switch from secondary to primary.

Labels: anti-texting laws, driver safety, new york driving laws, texting and driving

Many drivers speed because they think they will save time and arrive at their destination faster than they would if they didn't speed.

How much time do you think you save by speeding? This chart illustrates the time saved over a 10 mile trip on the highway.

M.P.H. = Time | Time Saved

• 55 M.P.H. = 10 Minutes 55 Second | --


• 60 M.P.H. = 10 Minutes 00 Second | 55 Seconds Saved


• 65 M.P.H. = 09 Minutes 04 Second | 1 Minute and 41 Seconds Saved


• 70 M.P.H. = 08 Minutes 34 Second | 2 Minutes and 21 Seconds Saved

The basic speed rule says "Do not go faster than is safe for conditions." This is the safest way to drive. What does it mean? When you're driving on a road with a posted limit of 40 mph, that's the safest maximum speed you're allowed to drive during normal road conditions. If it begins to rain, it may not be safe to drive 40 mph, because the road may be slippery from the mixture of oil, dust or dirt accumulation with the rainwater. Conditions dictate the speed that you should drive, regardless of what the speed limit may be.

Many drivers believe the worst that can happen to them is to receive a speeding ticket, but these drivers are wrong. Driving too fast for conditions or exceeding the posted speed limit can kill you.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving techniques, driver safety, new york driving laws, speeding ticket, uniform traffic ticket

In November, the New York State Assembly passed the toughest drunk driving law in the nation. The new legislation, known as Leandra's Law, was named for 11 year old Leandra Rosada who was killed just a month earlier while riding with the mother of one of her friends. Her friend's mother was allegedly driving while impaired and flipped her vehicle on Manhattan's Henry Hudson Parkway. The bill, signed by Governor Paterson on November 18th, imposes stiff new penalties for anyone who drives under the influence while a child under the age of 16 is in the car.

In the legislation's Statement of Support, the bill's authors wrote:

"While all persons who drive while intoxicated pose a danger to others, the person who knowingly chooses to drive drunk with children in the car has made a conscious decision to put those children at risk of harm or death. An adult can take steps to avoid riding with a drunk or impaired driver. But a child may not have that choice, particularly when the driver is a parent or guardian."

Previous New York Law made driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs a misdemeanor. The new law makes it a felony to drive under the influence while a child under the age of 16 is in the vehicle.

Other provisions in the law include:

A provision that requires law enforcement officers to note when a child a child or person other than the offender has been killed or suffered serious physical injury; or when a child of fifteen years or under is present in the vehicle at the time of the arrest.

A provision that requires law enforcement officers, when a child is present in the vehicle of an impaired driver who is their parent, legal guardian, or custodian, to report the offense to the Department of Social Services.

A provision that prohibits anyone charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child from any type of plea bargain that would reduce the charge down to a non-criminal offense.

A provision that mandates the installation of an interlock device in vehicles after the first conviction for driving under the influence and makes tampering with an interlock a criminal offense.

A provision that amends penal law to increase the penalties for anyone who commits any of the following offenses while driving under the influence:

Increases the charge of Vehicular Assault in the second degree to Vehicular Assault in the first degree for anyone who causes serious physical injury to a passenger who is under the age of 16.

Increases the charge for anyone who commits Vehicular Assault in the second degree to Aggravated Vehicular Assault if they engage in reckless driving that causes serious physical injury to a passenger who is a under the age of 16.

Increases the charge for anyone who commits Vehicular Manslaughter in the second degree to Vehicular Manslaughter in the first degree for anyone who causes the death of a passenger who is under the age of 16.

Increases the charge for anyone who commits the crime of Vehicular Manslaughter to Aggravated Vehicular Manslaughter for anyone who engages in reckless driving and causes the death of a passenger who is under the age of 16.

Labels: driver safety, driving under the influence, drunk driving laws, new york driving laws, new york dui laws