Traffic tickets in New York State can be expensive, add points to your license, raise your insurance costs, and even lead to a suspended or revoked  license. In addition, violating a New York traffic law can get you in trouble, even if you didn’t know about it. That’s because ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Although an experienced traffic ticket attorney at Rosenblum Law can provide a vigorous defense if you receive a citation, it is better not to be cited in the first place. Read this article to learn about traffic laws you might not have been aware of so you do not wind up in traffic court unexpectedly.

Obstructing the Driver’s View

It is against the law in New York to obstruct the driver’s view of the road. Although a few window stickers or something hanging on the rear view mirror probably will not result in a citation, a driver could be pulled over if an excessive amount of the windshield, side windows, or back window is covered with stickers, advertisements, cracks, or other things that block the view.

Similarly, it is illegal to have so many people and/or objects in the front seat that they obstruct the driver’s view to the front or sides of the vehicle, or interfere with the driver’s control of the vehicle. 

Wearing Seat Belts

Most people know that riders in the front seats of a vehicle must wear seat belts. However, the same goes for anyone in the car, including back-seat passengers. This can be easier said than done with energetic children, but it is mandatory in New York. “Parents have kids who don’t want to sit still, but it’s a big fine if they don’t have their seatbelts on,” said police officer Kent Ng. 

Other rules in New York regarding safety restraints include:

• All children under the age of four must ride in child safety seats, and all children must ride in child restraint systems until their 8th birthday.
• Safety seats and child restraint systems must be certified according to Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard 213.
• A child safety restraint system must be robust enough for the child’s size and weight.
• Safety seats must be installed correctly. Follow the seat manufacturer’s instructions, and if you’re not sure, visit a child safety seat fitting station for assistance.
• Although it is not illegal in New York for a child to ride in the front seat, it is dangerous for small children because airbags can seriously injure or even kill them.

Despite these rules, Ng said an officer is unlikely to pull someone over if their child looks like they need a safety seat. “There’s no nitpicking, like, ‘How old is your kid? He looks kind of small. Should he have a booster seat?’ It’s mostly about wearing a seatbelt.”

Avoiding Intersections

Although it is tempting to avoid intersections with traffic lights by cutting through a parking lot, this is illegal in New York. 

“A lot of motorists get caught in a red light and turn through a gas station,” Ng said. “If there’s traffic, you will see motorists actually going through the gas station without slowing down. That’s illegal and results in two points on your license in New York state.” 

Ng said if he stops someone for this infraction, he looks at the vehicle’s gas gauge to see if it is near empty and the driver actually needs gas. “They might make an excuse like ‘I stopped for gas but then realized I didn’t need any,’ but I never buy that,” he said.

Leaving a Vehicle Running Unattended

It is also illegal in New York to leave a vehicle unattended while it is running. Instead, the driver must stop the engine, lock the ignition, and remove the key. If the vehicle is on a hill, the driver also should turn the front wheels to the curb to keep it from rolling away if the parking brake fails.

One reason for this law is that it helps prevent theft. “I’ve heard of vehicles being stolen because they didn’t lock the car and left it running,” Ng said. However, he added that the law really only applies to vehicles left on the street. If your car lacks a remote start feature, it is OK to turn it on and let it “warm up” in the driveway while you do something else. 

Turning Right on Red

Although turning right on red after coming to a stop is legal in almost all of New York, it is not in most of New York City. In any of the five boroughs, drivers are not allowed to turn right on a red traffic signal unless there is a sign at that intersection specifically saying they can. 

This often trips people up if they are driving into the city from elsewhere in New York. “People just figure that you can turn right on red in New York City, and they disregard or don’t notice the signs prohibiting it,” Ng said.

Even outside NYC, drivers need to turn right on red correctly. Specifically, they must:

• Come to a complete – not a rolling – stop. 
• Yield to pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. 
• Look for a sign prohibiting a right turn on red, which is not allowed at some intersections throughout the state.

Reporting Accidents

In New York, any accident that involves injuries to people or damage to the property of any one individual exceeding $1,000 must be reported to the police. Return the Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (PDF) (MV-104) form by mail to the address listed on page two of the form. If the driver does not file a crash report, the New York DMV may suspend their driving privileges until they do. Failure to report this type of accident can have significant consequences.

Less serious accidents do not have to be reported. “If you have a minor accident with another vehicle, [the authorities] just want you to pull over and exchange information,” Ng said. “You can just work it out with the other motorist if you want. But if there are injuries, it must be reported.”

It is also not mandatory to report hitting an animal. “I’ve seen a lot of accidents where dogs were hit and motorists just kept going,” he said. “They might have thought they hit a pothole or didn’t think they had to stop.” However, he added that reporting such an incident “is the right thing to do.”

Contact Rosenblum Law Today

If you were cited for violating one of these laws or any other traffic law, you need an experienced attorney on your side. Traffic violations are not to be taken lightly and can result in considerable expense.

The traffic attorneys at Rosenblum Law have decades of experience representing people accused of traffic violations. We will do everything possible to get the charges reduced or dismissed. Contact us for a free consultation today.