S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1284
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. PERSAUD, COMRIE, GALLIVAN, GOUNARDES, ROLISON, WEBB
   -- 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 and the  insurance  law,  in
   relation to instruction concerning traffic stops

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of  paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  4  of
 section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 379 of
 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (i)  Upon  submission  of  an  application for a driver's license, the
 applicant shall be required to take and pass a test, or submit  evidence
 of  passage of a test, with respect to the laws relating to traffic, the
 laws relating to driving while ability is impaired and while  intoxicat-
 ed,  under the overpowering influence of "Road Rage", "Work Zone Safety"
 awareness, "Motorcycle Safety" awareness and "Pedestrian  and  Bicyclist
 Safety"  awareness  as  defined by the commissioner, "School Bus Safety"
 awareness, the law relating to exercising due care  to  avoid  colliding
 with  a  parked,  stopped  or  standing  authorized emergency vehicle or
 hazard vehicle pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a  of  this
 chapter,  the  ability to read and comprehend traffic signs and symbols,
 THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A DRIVER WHEN STOPPED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFI-
 CER and such other matters as the commissioner  may  prescribe,  and  to
 satisfactorily  complete  a course prescribed by the commissioner of not
 less than four hours and not more than five hours, consisting of  class-
 room  driver  training  and highway safety instruction or the equivalent
 thereof. Such test  shall  include  at  least  seven  written  questions
 concerning the effects of consumption of alcohol or drugs on the ability
 of  a  person  to  operate  a  motor vehicle and the legal and financial
 consequences resulting from violations of section eleven  hundred  nine-
 ty-two  of  this  chapter,  prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03906-01-5
              

 S. 1284                             2
 
 while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Such test  shall  include
 one  or  more  written  questions  concerning the devastating effects of
 "Road Rage" on the ability of a person to operate a  motor  vehicle  and
 the  legal and financial consequences resulting from assaulting, threat-
 ening or interfering with the lawful conduct of another  person  legally
 using  the  roadway.  Such  test  shall  include  one  or more questions
 concerning the potential dangers to persons and equipment resulting from
 the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle in a work zone.   Such test  may
 include  one  or  more questions concerning motorcycle safety. Such test
 may include one or more questions concerning the law for exercising  due
 care  to  avoid  colliding  with  a  parked, stopped or standing vehicle
 pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a of  this  chapter.  Such
 test  may  include  one  or more questions concerning school bus safety.
 SUCH TEST SHALL INCLUDE ONE OR MORE QUESTIONS CONCERNING  THE  RESPONSI-
 BILITIES  OF  A  DRIVER  WHEN STOPPED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. Such
 test may include one or more questions concerning pedestrian  and  bicy-
 clist  safety.  Such test shall be administered by the commissioner. The
 commissioner shall cause the applicant to take a vision test and a  test
 for  color  blindness.  Upon passage of the vision test, the application
 may be accepted and the application fee shall be payable.
   § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle  and
 traffic  law,  as amended by chapter 379 of the laws of 2022, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (b) Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in  para-
 graph  (a)  of  this subdivision which shall include an alcohol and drug
 education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
 "Road Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of  this
 subdivision,  a  "Work  Zone Safety" awareness component as described in
 paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision,  a  "Motorcycle  Safety"  awareness
 component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision, a "School
 Bus  Safety" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-4) of this
 subdivision, [and] a "Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety" awareness  compo-
 nent  as described in paragraph (c-5) of this subdivision, AND A TRAFFIC
 STOP INSTRUCTION COMPONENT AS  DESCRIBED  IN  PARAGRAPH  (C-6)  OF  THIS
 SUBDIVISION,  the  commissioner shall cause the applicant to take a road
 test in a representative vehicle of a type prescribed by the commission-
 er which shall be appropriate to the type of license for which  applica-
 tion  is  made,  except  that  the  commissioner may waive the road test
 requirements for certain classes of applicants. Provided, however,  that
 the  term  "representative  vehicle"  shall  not include a three-wheeled
 motor vehicle that has two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in
 the rear, has a steering mechanism and seating which  does  not  require
 the  operator  to straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts
 for all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal motor vehi-
 cle safety standards for motorcycles including, but not limited  to,  49
 C.F.R.  part  571.  The commissioner shall have the power to establish a
 program to allow persons other  than  employees  of  the  department  to
 conduct  road  tests  in  representative  vehicles  when  such tests are
 required for applicants to obtain a class A, B or C  license.  If  [she]
 THE  COMMISSIONER  chooses  to  do  so, [she] THEY shall set forth [her]
 THEIR reasons in writing and conduct a public  hearing  on  the  matter.
 [She] THE COMMISSIONER shall only establish such a program after holding
 the public hearing.
   §  3.  Subdivision  4 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (c-6) to read as follows:
 S. 1284                             3
 
   (C-6) TRAFFIC STOP INSTRUCTION COMPONENT. (I) THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL
 PROVIDE  IN THE PRE-LICENSING COURSE, SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS
 SUBDIVISION, A MANDATORY COMPONENT IN  TRAFFIC  STOP  INSTRUCTION  AS  A
 PREREQUISITE  FOR  OBTAINING  A  LICENSE TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE. THE
 PURPOSE  OF  THIS COMPONENT IS TO EDUCATE PROSPECTIVE LICENSEES ON THEIR
 RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN STOPPED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
   (II) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A  CURRICULUM  FOR  THE  TRAFFIC
 STOP  INSTRUCTION  COMPONENT  WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
 INSTRUCTION DESCRIBING APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY DRIVERS DURING
 TRAFFIC STOPS AND APPROPRIATE INTERACTIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
 WHO INITIATE TRAFFIC STOPS. THE CURRICULUM SHALL ALSO EXPLAIN A DRIVER'S
 RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN STOPPED BY A LAW  ENFORCEMENT  OFFICER,  INCLUDING
 MOVING  THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY OR, WHERE THE HIGH-
 WAY HAS NO SHOULDER, AN AREA ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY WHERE  THE  VEHICLE
 CAN SAFELY BE STOPPED DURING A TRAFFIC STOP; TURNING OFF THE MOTOR VEHI-
 CLE'S  ENGINE AND RADIO; AVOIDING SUDDEN MOVEMENTS AND KEEPING THE DRIV-
 ER'S HANDS IN PLAIN VIEW OF THE OFFICER. THE COMMISSIONER IS  AUTHORIZED
 TO  COLLABORATE  WITH THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE AND NON-PROFIT ORGAN-
 IZATIONS FOCUSING ON DEFENDING OR  PROMOTING  CIVIL  LIBERTIES  AND  ANY
 OTHER  AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS THEY DEEM NECESSARY IN ESTABLISHING THE
 CURRICULUM.
   § 4. Paragraph 1 of subsection (a) of section 2336  of  the  insurance
 law,  as  amended  by  section  3  of  chapter 4 of the laws of 2021, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (1) Any schedule of rates or rating plan for motor  vehicle  liability
 and  collision  insurance  submitted to the superintendent shall provide
 for an actuarially appropriate reduction  in  premium  charges  for  any
 insured  for  a  three year period after successfully completing a motor
 vehicle accident prevention course, known as the national  safety  coun-
 cil's  defensive  driving  course,  or  any  driver  improvement  course
 approved by the department of motor vehicles as being equivalent to  the
 national  safety  council's  defensive  driving  course,  provided that,
 except as provided in article twelve-C of the vehicle and  traffic  law,
 there shall be no reduction in premiums for a self-instruction defensive
 driving  course  or  a course that does not provide for actual classroom
 instruction for a minimum number of hours as determined by  the  depart-
 ment  of  motor  vehicles.  Such  reduction  in premium charges shall be
 subsequently modified to the extent appropriate, based upon analysis  of
 loss experience statistics and other relevant factors. All such accident
 prevention  courses  shall be monitored by the department of motor vehi-
 cles and shall include components of instruction in "Road  Rage"  aware-
 ness  [and]  in  "Work  Zone  Safety" awareness, AND IN TRAFFIC STOPS as
 defined by the commissioner of motor vehicles. The  provisions  of  this
 section  shall  not apply to attendance at a program pursuant to article
 twenty-one of the vehicle and traffic law as a  result  of  any  traffic
 infraction.
   §  5.  Paragraph  1 of subsection (a) of section 2336 of the insurance
 law, as amended by section 4 of chapter  4  of  the  laws  of  2021,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   (1)  Any  schedule of rates or rating plan for motor vehicle liability
 and collision insurance submitted to the  superintendent  shall  provide
 for  an  actuarially  appropriate  reduction  in premium charges for any
 insured for a three year period after successfully  completing  a  motor
 vehicle  accident  prevention course, known as the national safety coun-
 cil's  defensive  driving  course,  or  any  driver  improvement  course
 approved  by the department of motor vehicles as being equivalent to the
 S. 1284                             4
 
 national safety council's defensive driving  course,  provided  that  in
 either event there shall be no reduction in premiums for a self-instruc-
 tion  defensive  driving  course  or  a course that does not provide for
 actual classroom instruction for a minimum number of hours as determined
 by  the  department of motor vehicles. Such reduction in premium charges
 shall be subsequently modified to the  extent  appropriate,  based  upon
 analysis  of  loss experience statistics and other relevant factors. All
 such accident prevention courses shall be monitored by the department of
 motor vehicles and shall include  components  of  instruction  in  "Road
 Rage"  awareness  [and],  in "Work Zone Safety" awareness AND IN TRAFFIC
 STOPS as defined by the commissioner of motor vehicles.  The  provisions
 of  this  section shall not apply to attendance at a program pursuant to
 article twenty-one of the vehicle and traffic law as  a  result  of  any
 traffic infraction.
   §  6. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law; provided that the amendments to subsection (a) of section  2336  of
 the  insurance law, made by section four of this act shall be subject to
 the expiration and repeal of such subsection pursuant to  section  5  of
 chapter  751  of  the  laws of 2005, as amended, when upon such date the
 provisions of section five of this  act  shall  take  effect.  Effective
 immediately,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or reversion of any rule or
 regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective
 date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective
 date.