NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3244
SPONSOR: Gunther TITLE OF BILL:
An act to establish the senior driver safety commission and providing
for its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof
PURPOSE:
This bill establishes a senior drive safety commission.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The Senior Driver Safety Commission shall consist of twelve members.
The commission shall study, examine, and review the issue of senior
driver safety. It will evaluate the effectiveness of current laws and
regulations while making recommendations to increase the safety of all
drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. The commission will also set
objectives to identify preventative measures that can be implemented to
reduce the number of accidents involving this group. As used in this
act "senior driver" is identified as any individual age 80 and older
with a valid New York State issued driver's license. Additionally,
members of the commission will evaluate the availability and effective-
ness of screening tests to identify impaired drivers. The commission
will report its findings and recommendations to the governor and legis-
lature.
JUSTIFICATION:
A study done by AAA shows that drivers over the age of 80 years old have
the highest rate of fatal crashes per 100 million miles driven. Accord-
ing to AAA, "drivers age 80 and older had more than six times the death
rate of drivers ages 30-49 and nearly double the death rate of teens."
Another study, published in Accident Analysis & Prevention stated,
"...driving leads to a greater mental workload for the older drivers
than for the younger drivers and this effect was exacerbated by the more
complex driving context (overtaking maneuvers)."
It is important to note that this bill does not require additional test-
ing or revokes licensure for a particular age group; it simply estab-
lishes a commission to determine how best to make our roads safer.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2014: A9329 referred to transportation
2015-16: A1905 referred to transportation
2017-18: A2109/84047 referred to transportation
2020: A9692 referred to Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3244
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to establish the senior driver safety commission and providing
for its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Senior driver safety commission. 1. The commission shall
2 consist of twelve members. Four of the members shall be appointed by the
3 governor, of which one shall be from the department of motor vehicles,
4 one shall be from the department of transportation and one shall be from
5 the office for the aging. Three of the members shall be appointed by
6 the temporary president of the senate. Three of the members shall be
7 appointed by the speaker of the assembly. One member shall be appointed
8 by the minority leader of the senate. One member shall be appointed by
9 the minority leader of the assembly. All appointments shall be made
10 within thirty days of the effective date of this act.
11 2. The commission shall, within twenty days following the appointment
12 of all its members, elect a chairperson from among such members.
13 3. The commission shall study, examine and review the issue of senior
14 driver safety. In conducting its study, the commission shall:
15 (a) evaluate the effectiveness of current laws and regulations in
16 regards to senior driver safety;
17 (b) make regulatory and legislative recommendations necessary to
18 increase the safety of all drivers, passengers and pedestrians;
19 (c) survey and assess the leading causes of senior driver car acci-
20 dents;
21 (d) identify and analyze preventative measures that may be implemented
22 by the state to reduce the number of accidents involving senior drivers;
23 (e) study and evaluate the availability and effectiveness of screening
24 tests for identifying impaired drivers;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02916-01-1
A. 3244 2
1 (f) survey and assess the problems of driving under the influence of
2 prescription drugs often used by senior drivers;
3 (g) analyze and provide measures that may mitigate the risks associ-
4 ated with the operation of motor vehicles by senior drivers, including
5 the use of non-traditional driving devices that may mitigate risks; and
6 (h) consider any other issues or matters the commission may deem
7 appropriate to fulfill the scope of its charge.
8 4. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommen-
9 dations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty
10 days after the effective date of this act.
11 § 2. As used in this act "senior driver" is defined as any individual
12 aged 80 and older with a valid driver's license issued by the New York
13 state department of motor vehicles.
14 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect
15 until the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law,
16 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
