Features of driving in New York: rules that everyone should know

How to drive safely, park and avoid tickets in New York City

Upstate New York, with its vibrant mountain scenery and countryside, contrasts sharply with the south, where one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, New York City, is located. The number of people, transport and degree of urbanization in the south of the state cannot be compared with the north, reports Test DMV.

Most of those who have visited New York will discourage you from getting around the city by car. The high cost of parking, tolls and heavy traffic scare many drivers away from traveling by private car. Thanks to its extensive subway and surface transportation systems, NYC is one of the few cities in the United States that is walkable. But often you simply cannot do without your own transport in the city.

Who can drive in New York

You can get a New York State driver's license if you are 16 years of age or older. If you are not a NYC resident, you may drive using a license issued in another state or country. Those who decide to become a permanent resident of the state must apply within 30 days to DMV office to get a local license.

If you still decide to travel around New York in a car, it will not be superfluous to understand the local traffic rules. Find out in advance which bridges and highways to get to Manhattan. One of the important skills of New York drivers is to find free parking spaces.

Traffic Laws

Even experienced and self-confident drivers feel confused when they first find themselves on the streets of New York. A huge number of vehicles, fearless pedestrians and endless signals and signs can scare a person who is not used to traffic in a big city.

Pointers and road signs

Some streets are not allowed to turn left at certain hours of the day. This helps relieve traffic on certain highways. Pay close attention to road signs (even in places you know) so as not to get a penalty ticket.

No turn on red

Almost all states allow you to turn right at a red traffic light. But New York is an exception. You can turn right on red here only if there is a permit sign. This applies mainly to NYC and cities with a population of more than 1 million people.

The penalties for wrong turns are quite serious:

• Before 150 dollars for the first offense, with a potential imprisonment up to 15 days.
• Repeated violation within 18 months will have to pay up to 300 dollars, with potential imprisonment up to 45 days.
• Before 450 dollars for a third misdemeanor within 18 months, with potential arrest up to 90 days.

In addition, 2 penalty points will be added to your personal file for this violation. And the insurance company can increase the cost of insurance premiums to violators.

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Do not block the intersection

Signs installed at 50 NYC intersections Don't block the box ("Don't block the intersection!"). Often these signs are supplemented by special road markings. This is done through the program Clear Intersections Initiative to deal with congestion on the roads of the Big Apple. Do not try to pass if you see that the traffic light is about to turn red! You will be fined for blocking an intersection. 150$ и two penalty points in a personal matter.

Using your phone while driving

Talking, reading or typing a message while driving is a violation. You can talk on the phone using the headset or call emergency services.

Fines in NYC for using a mobile phone while driving:

• From 50$ to 150$ for the first violation
• From 50$ to 200$ for a second offense within 18 months
• From 50$ to 400$ for the third violation within 18 months.

Using a klaxon for no reason

For drivers who like to express their emotions with the help of a sound signal (Unnecessary honking), in New York there is a penalty in the form of a fine in 350 dollars. In fact, they are fined for this quite rarely, but it is better not to take risks once again. In addition, it can provoke a seizure in other drivers. road rage.

Alcohol

For a blood alcohol level (BAC) above 0,08%, New York City drivers will be charged with drunk driving or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). It is worth understanding the difference between DWI (drunk driving) and Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) - driving with impaired ability to drive vehicles. DWAI will be charged to drivers with a BAC between 0,05% and 0,07%. DWAI is considered a lesser offense than DWI. Alcohol intoxication can be aggravated by the simultaneous use of drugs.

The penalty for DWI is a fine of up to 10 000 $, suspension of rights until 1 years and conclusion to 7 years.

Smoking in the car

It is illegal to smoke in a vehicle with a child under 18 years of age. There is a penalty for the first violation. 50$, over the next it will increase.

Parking

If you see an empty street in New York, you need to be on your guard. There are no parked vehicles on it for a reason. Perhaps it was closed for repairs or the operation of municipal equipment.

Finding a free parking space in New York is difficult. Even installed meters do not mean that you can park in this place for the whole day. Pay attention to road signs with hours and days of the week when parking is prohibited.

Since street places are often busy, paid parking is a good option. But be careful: at the entrance to the parking lot there may be an ad with an attractive price, for example, “$ 7 per day”. And below: "no longer than half an hour." Ask the parking attendant how much you will pay and if they accept cash. Before the trip, use one of the parking search services in NYC, so that later you do not wind circles around the block. When leaving the parking lot, take a picture of the parking space number so you don't forget where you left your car.

You can get a fine if you parked in the wrong place:

• at the hydrant;
• at a pedestrian crossing;
• next to a sign prohibiting parking (No Parking, No Stopping Any Time);
• if the parking meter has expired.

Your vehicle will be towed and may be towed to a remote area. For example, to take away from Manhattan to Brooklyn. It will be especially unpleasant to find out that this parking lot does not return cars on weekends. Any parking will cost you less than paying for the services of a towing vehicle and a fine for storing a car.

In all states of America, driving under the influence of marijuana and its derivatives is prohibited!

Marijuana and its derivatives are legal in many states for recreational or medical use. not while driving.

Driving under the influence of marijuana negatively affects driving safety. Drivers react slower, the ability to estimate time and distance decreases, and coordination is disturbed. All this affects the speed of decision-making behind the wheel and the number of accidents, injuries, deaths, arrests and fines.

Basically, for the first violation, the defendant will lose not only his driver's license (in some states and freedom), but also 7-000 USD. With each subsequent violation, the amount of the fine increases, as does the term of imprisonment. She can reach $10 and 000 years in prison, as well as life imprisonment for driving.

Implied Consent Law

In all states except 5 (Alabama, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey and West Virginia), the Implied Consent Law applies. That is, about the need to provide a biological sample at the request of law enforcement officers. A motorist's refusal to undergo a chemical drug test can serve as evidence of guilt in court. New Mexico has a separate law that treats refusal to test as a separate crime. Two other states (Kentucky and Maine) do not provide criminal penalties, but use test refusal as an aggravating circumstance in the case of a driver found guilty of a DUI. In Nevada, there is no criminal penalty for refusing a test. However, if refused, the police officer must revoke the driver's license and arrest him for DUI.

A total of 17 states have some form of Zero-tolerance laws for DUI. For each of them, the allowable levels of THC in the blood and / or urine are given. As well as exceptions to the law that soften the ban on driving under the influence of cannabis.

In 3 states - Nevada, Ohio and Virginia - the presence in the body of a certain amount of controlled substances (marijuana is one of them) is unacceptable while driving. Two states—North Carolina and South Dakota—ban people under the age of 21 from driving with any amount of cannabinoids in their bodies.

medical marijuana

Individuals using cannabis for medical purposes may receive a registration card. A corresponding entry will be made in the driver's card of this person. Court-proven DUI due to cannabis use or its illegal transportation in a car can result in the loss of a driver's license or registration card for the use of medical cannabis.

Briefly about what awaits violating drivers

After a guilty verdict is passed, administrative measures are applied in the form of detention of a driver who is in a state of drug intoxication. Or criminal, if there are aggravating circumstances:

• in case of injury,
• death,
• damage to the property of others.

In addition to the penalties provided by law, drivers convicted of DUI may face difficulties in finding housing, finding a job, studying, etc.