For the past several weeks, state officials and law enforcement agencies have been pointing out changes to the driver’s license point system that took effect on Monday.
Those who follow the rules of the road and drive responsibly don’t really have anything to worry about here.
Those drivers that don’t? They may want to pay attention.
The most significant point change applies to any alcohol- or drug-related conviction or incident and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Both offenses previously carried zero points but will now result in 11.
Here are the rest of the changes:
• Speeding in a construction zone will be eight points. It used to be dependent on speed.
• Leaving the scene of a personal injury crash will be five points. It used to be three points.
• Failure to exercise due care will result in five points. It used to be two points.
• Facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation will be five points. It used to be zero points.
• Speed contests and races will be five points. It used to be zero points.
• Over-height vehicle/bridge strike will be eight points. It used to be zero points.
This comes into play for those who keep striking the north Grand Island Bridge overpass in the Falls.
The eastbound and westbound Grand Island Bridges have now been struck by vehicles at least 32 times in the past 10 years, with a $1.9 million electronic over-height detection system installed at the bridge in 2024.
It still keeps getting hit. Maybe the hit to the license will have drivers paying closer attention.
What’s partly staying the same is the threshold for driver’s license suspension. It remains the accumulation of 11 points. Prior to Monday, it was 11 points in 18 months. Now it’s 11 points in 24 months.
That change to 24 months won’t make one bit of difference to those convicted of drunken driving or aggravated unlicensed operation. Those 11 points for that one offense can potentially lead to a driver losing their license. It’s also going to cost them in terms of insurance costs.
We’re not sure how many people are thinking about driver’s license points when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle intoxicated, but they should. The potential cost of that decision has just increased a lot.
If the recent New York State Police STOP-DWI traffic enforcement initiative conducted over Super Bowl weekend is any indication, the issue of drunken driving isn’t getting any better.
This year’s enforcement resulted in 177 drunken driving arrests statewide, with 13 in Western New York — up from 161 during last year’s Super Bowl initiative.
The increase is troubling and is a sign that the issue of driving while intoxicated isn’t getting any better, despite the PSAs and all the rest.
Will increasing the potential penalty for DWIs help? Time will tell.
At the end of the day, these changes aren’t about punishing drivers — they’re about protecting everyone else on the road.
“Our job is to make sure that New York’s roads are safe for everyone, and if someone chooses to be reckless and unsafe, they do not deserve to be behind the wheel, period,” said Mark J.F. Schroeder, state DMV commissioner and chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
There you have it, the rules have changed. The consequences are steeper. The choice, however, has always been the same — drive responsibly or don’t drive at all.