New York made life easier for traffic offenders

The new law in New York will allow people whose driver's licenses have been revoked due to non-payment of renewal fees or fines to create a payment plan and reinstate the document. The details of the innovation were published by the edition Spectrum Local News.

Between January 2016 and April 2018, 1,7 million drivers' licenses were suspended in New York City for failing to pay fines, renewal fees, or missing court hearings for their traffic violations.

A revised version of the Driver's License Suspension Act will allow a person to create a payment plan to reinstate their license. The payment plan involves paying 2% of a person's monthly income, or $ 25 per month, whichever is greater. This action will allow defaulters of fines and those whose rights were canceled due to non-payment of fees for their renewal, to restore the document.

"This new state law will have a positive impact on the lives of thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers whose driver's licenses have been suspended solely because of inability to pay," said Senator Tim Kennedy (Democrat from Buffalo). "This is a huge victory that de-criminalizes poverty and provides hope and opportunity for drivers across New York State."

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According to the amended legislation, the driver's licenses will not be restored to persons who did not appear at the court hearings on traffic violations. However, now such violators will be sent two notifications about the impending suspension of their identity. If they do not react to them in any way, the rights will be canceled.

“The suspension of driver's licenses should be used for a limited purpose to keep dangerous drivers out of the road, not as a debt collection mechanism,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the Civil Liberties Union of New York.