Traffic laws and and policies are constantly being put under review for changes and updates. This is to ensure that the laws accurately reflect the state of the roads amidst vehicle upgrades, societal change and concerns, and responding to new dangers which have been noted for drivers and other road users. Recently, a new bill has been proposed in the state of New York regarding changes to traffic stops. However, the bill has garnered some resistance and criticism from lawmakers and the public.
A host of changes for traffic laws in New York
This year, New York State is already implementing a variety of changes to traffic laws. On April 21, Legislation S9361/A8557 went into effect which requires that all passengers who are aged eight to sixteen and ride charter buses must wear seatbelts. The legislation was suggested after a fatal crash involving band members from Long Island’s Farmingdale High School last year.
Other laws that go into effect regarding regulations for leasing vehicles. If you are leasing a vehicle in New York State, you will no longer be required to pay administrative, clerical, or handling charges. The law went into effect on January 1 of this year. Over the year, the city Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin to lower speed limits in 250 NYC locations for enhanced public safety under Sammy’s Law, which was passed last year.
New bill limiting traffic stops
To add to the new changes which have already been approved, a new bill has been proposed that relates to limiting the number of traffic stops for minor violations. If passed, the bill would ban police in New York state from conducting traffic stops, but only for minor violations. The bill has been proposed to not only enhance the safety of police officers but also has been framed as promote racial equity. Examples of a minor traffic violation include having a taillight out, expired vehicle registration tags, too dark of a window tint, or the detection of the smell of marijuana.
In terms of New York Senate Bill S3662A, promoting racial equity, non-white drivers are disproportionately pulled over and arrested compared to white drivers. Looking at statistics just from Nassau County alone, black and Latino residents make up 61% of arrests, 50% of traffic stops, 60% of field interviews, and 69% of pat-downs. However, this population only makes up less than 30% of the county’s total population.
Criticism of Bill S3662A
Despite the good intentions of the bill, there have been many critics who have opposed the law in its entirety:
“It’s just a bizarre argument, it’s pro-criminal,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, according to the New York Post. “It doesn’t matter what race you are. If you’re breaking the law, then you’re breaking the law.”
Further, Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder has stated that limiting police officers from stopping for minor violations makes the roads less safe:
“They say the roads are so bad in Nassau County. Well, you would just be taking another tool away from us that’s going to get these bad drivers off the road,” he told reporters. “Stop taking the handcuffs off of the criminals and putting them onto our men and women in law enforcement.”
The bill has yet to reach the Senate, and is set to be considered before the end of the legislative session in June. In the meantime, all New York drivers are urged to have their licenses updated to be REAL-ID compliant before May 7. If your identification documents, including your driver’s license, have not been updated by this date, you will not be allowed to board a domestic flight, nor will you be able to enter a federal building, so it’s best to sort it out as soon as possible.
