California, New York, and Florida have the highest number of licensed drivers in the nation, while New York sits comfortably at number 4 on the list. So how does one of the nation’s highest populations keep the number of driver’s on the road so low? For starters, New York has an excellent public transportation system. Most residents (roughly 8.2 million of them) find that it’s easier to navigate the highways, bridges and boroughs by bus, train, or taxicab. This, along with congestion on the roads, decreases the demand and desire to own a vehicle. Although many New York residents prefer public transportation or other alternative forms of transportation, there are still 11.3 million licensed drivers in the state. For these individuals, certain laws exist to help keep them safe on the roads.
Although effective, New York driving laws are pretty cut and dry. Driving without auto insurance is against the law, driving while under the influence is against the law, and texting teens will have to pay a handsome fine for each offense. According to autoinsurancetips.com, New York auto insurance laws state that all drivers must carry minimum auto liability insurance of $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury, $25,000/$50,000 uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist bodily injury, $10,000 for property damage, and $50,000 personal injury protection (PIP). New York drivers cannot register any vehicle without proof of insurance. Driving without minimum auto liability insurance in the state of New York will result in license suspension, revoked vehicle registration, and a ticket. In addition, the vehicle may be impounded.
When it comes to New York DUI laws, the state operates under an “implied consent” law. New York’s implied consent law is simple: if you drive on a New York roadway, you automatically consent to a chemical, blood, breath, or urine test upon request. So, if a police officer suspects that a driver is under the influence, he has the right to administer a blood, breath, chemical, urine test. If caught driving under the influence, adults with a blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) of 0.08% or higher could face fines, jail time, and penalties.
New York teens are not exempt from the state’s DUI laws and the penalties are severe for non-compliance. If you are a teen and you get caught driving with a BAC of 0.02%, you could lose your license until the age of 21. Most New York teens would not risk their lives or their license by drinking and driving. For starters, it’s tough for teens to obtain a license in the state of New York. Teens must graduate through three levels if licensing before obtaining an unrestricted license. New York’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program sends teens through a learner’s license phase, an intermediate license phase, unrestricted license phase, and full unrestricted license. All licenses (except full unrestricted licenses) carry passenger and nighttime driving restrictions.
On November 1, 2009 New York’s texting while driving law went into effect. It is now against the law for adults and teens to text while driving. Non-compliance with the law will cost drivers a cool $150 per ticket. Unfortunately, New York’s hands-free cell phone law is treated as a secondary offense, meaning, the officer must stop the driver for another traffic violation in order to issue a citation for violating the cell-phone law.
For more information about New York Driving laws, New York driving statistics, and more, please visit:
New_York_Auto_Insurance – Auto Insurance Tips
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/ – New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
http://www.iii.org/media/facts/statsbyissue/auto/ – Insurance Information Institute (website)
http://www.census.gov/ – United States Census Bureau
