New York state has rolled out a new points system for traffic violations to target persistently dangerous drivers.
Under changes that went into effect Monday, Feb. 16, certain traffic violations will have increased point values, and other violations that previously had no points attached will have a new, significant point total.
Points will also stay on a driving record for longer, now looking back at two full years of a driver’s history.
Before these changes, a person who accumulated 11 or more points within an 18-month period would face license suspension or revocation, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported.
Now, a suspension or revocation could happen if a driver accumulates 11 points in a 24-month period.
The major point changes for violations are:
Any alcohol- or drug-related conviction or incident: From 0 points to 11 pointsAggravated unlicensed operation: From 0 points to 11 pointsOvertaking or passing a stopped school bus: From 5 points to 8 pointsSpeeding in construction zone: From points given based on speed to 8 pointsOver-height vehicle/bridge strike: From 0 points to 8 pointsLeaving scene of a personal injury crash: From 3 points to 5 pointsFailure to exercise due care: From 2 points to 5 pointsFacilitating aggravated unlicensed operation: From 0 points to 5 pointsSpeed contest and races: From 0 points to 5 points.
Some current point values —such as the five given for a violation involving a mobile phone or electronic device while driving — remain unchanged, according to the New York DMV.
“These updated regulations will have no impact on drivers who follow the rules of the road, but they will have a big impact on dangerous drivers and repeat offenders whose poor choices always put other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk,” state DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said in a statement.
These changes were first proposed in 2023 following Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address.