Harsher Penalties For Breaking These Traffic Laws Begin This Week: What To Know

NEW YORK CITY — The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will begin enforcing harsher penalties for drivers breaking these traffic laws next week.

In addition to the penalties, New York is lowering the amount of points it takes to suspend a driver's license. The new rules will go into effect on Monday, Feb. 16.

The NYS DMW said the updated penalties will "strengthen the state's ability to keep persistently dangerous drivers off the roads and protect everyone else who drives, rides, walks or bikes in communities across the state," according to a Feb. 5 release.

Under current rules, drivers will have their license suspended if they receive 11 points over an 18-month period — after Feb. 16 it will take 10 points over a two-year period.

Penalties for a number of traffic violations will go up, including:

Speeding up to 10 mph over limit:

• will go from 3 points to 4 points

Cellphone use behind the wheel:

• Increase from 5 to 6 points

Reckless driving:

Currently, 5 points will increase to 8 points.

In addition, any alcohol or drug-related conviction or incident will be 11 points against your license. Before it used to be zero points. Speeding in a construction zone violation will be eight points, leaving the scene of a personal injury crash will increase from three to five points, failure to exercise due care will increase to five points, facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation will also increase to five points.

Also, certain traffic violations will receive points beginning on Feb. 16. Driving with broken taillights or blown headlights will get drivers one point each, and taking an illegal U-turn will be a two point violation.

“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,” Mark J.F. Schroeder, NYS DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, said in a release.