Bill Text: NY S07138 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes a motorcycle safety awareness component as a requirement for licensing.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-05-31 - referred to transportation [S07138 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-S07138-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         7138
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      May 1, 2012
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
       AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requirements
         for licensing
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law
    2  is amended by adding a new paragraph (c-3) to read as follows:
    3    (C-3)  "MOTORCYCLE SAFETY" AWARENESS COMPONENT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
    4  PROVIDE IN THE PRE-LICENSING COURSE, SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF  THIS
    5  SUBDIVISION,  A  MANDATORY  COMPONENT  IN  "MOTORCYCLE SAFETY" AWARENESS
    6  EDUCATION AS A PREREQUISITE FOR OBTAINING A LICENSE TO OPERATE  A  MOTOR
    7  VEHICLE.  THE  PURPOSE OF THE COMPONENT IS TO EDUCATE PROSPECTIVE LICEN-
    8  SEES ON THE POTENTIAL DANGERS TO PERSONS OPERATING  MOTORCYCLES  ON  THE
    9  ROADWAY.
   10    S 2. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 502
   11  of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 458 of the laws of
   12  2011, is amended to read as follows:
   13    (i)  Upon  submission  of  an  application for a driver's license, the
   14  applicant shall be required to take and pass a test, or submit  evidence
   15  of  passage of a test, with respect to the laws relating to traffic, the
   16  laws relating to driving while ability is impaired and while  intoxicat-
   17  ed,  under  the  overpowering  influence of "Road Rage", [or] "Work Zone
   18  Safety" awareness AND "MOTORCYCLE SAFETY" AWARENESS as  defined  by  the
   19  commissioner, the law relating to exercising due care to avoid colliding
   20  with  a  parked,  stopped  or  standing  authorized emergency vehicle or
   21  hazard vehicle pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a  of  this
   22  chapter,  the  ability  to read and comprehend traffic signs and symbols
   23  and such other matters as the commissioner may prescribe, and to  satis-
   24  factorily  complete  a course prescribed by the commissioner of not less
   25  than four hours and not more than five hours,  consisting  of  classroom
   26  driver  training and highway safety instruction or the equivalent there-
   27  of. Such test shall include at least seven written questions  concerning
   28  the  effects  of  consumption  of  alcohol  or drugs on the ability of a
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD15218-02-2
       S. 7138                             2
    1  person to operate a motor vehicle and the  legal  and  financial  conse-
    2  quences  resulting  from violations of section eleven hundred ninety-two
    3  of this chapter, prohibiting the operation  of  a  motor  vehicle  while
    4  under  the influence of alcohol or drugs. Such test shall include one or
    5  more written questions concerning the devastating effects of "Road Rage"
    6  on the ability of a person to operate a motor vehicle and the legal  and
    7  financial  consequences resulting from assaulting, threatening or inter-
    8  fering with the lawful conduct of another person legally using the road-
    9  way. Such test shall include one or more questions concerning the poten-
   10  tial  dangers  to  persons  and  equipment  resulting  from  the  unsafe
   11  operation of a motor vehicle in a work zone. SUCH TEST SHALL INCLUDE ONE
   12  OR  MORE QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL DANGERS TO PERSONS OPERATING
   13  MOTORCYCLES ON THE ROAD. Such test may include  one  or  more  questions
   14  concerning  the  law  for  exercising due care to avoid colliding with a
   15  parked, stopped or standing authorized emergency vehicle or hazard vehi-
   16  cle pursuant to section eleven hundred  forty-four-a  of  this  chapter.
   17  Such  test  shall  be administered by the commissioner. The commissioner
   18  shall cause the applicant to take a vision test and  a  test  for  color
   19  blindness.  Upon  passage  of  the  vision  test, the application may be
   20  accepted and the application fee shall be payable.
   21    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.