By Will Miller,
ONLY hours remain before new speed limit rules come into effect in a major US state, clamping down on dangerous driving.
This latest set of regulations introduce penalties for exceeding the speed limit by as little as 1mph.
Even more urgently, the rollout is set for February 1.
The stringent rules will apply statewide across New York.
The changes aim to crack down on dangerous driving and raise safety standards across the state.
They were first outlined in Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Achieving the New York Dream” agenda in 2023.
The new measures include stricter sanctions, such as higher penalty points for offences and a lower threshold for licence suspensions.
Speaking at the launch, Governor Hochul said New York “would do the hard things – the necessary things to lift up and support New Yorkers and clear a path for them to realise the New York Dream.”
Speeding offences will now carry four points on a licence instead of three.
Using a cell phone while driving now carries six penalty points, up from five.
What’s more, failing to yield to pedestrians jumps from three to five points.
These are just a few of the changes aimed at keeping New Yorkers safer on the road.
Drivers can now be punished for exceeding the speed limit by as little as 1mph Credit: Getty
New York’s new speeding rules
The list of new rules is as follows:
- Speeding 1-10 miles per hour over the speed limit – penalty increases from 3 to 4 points
- Using a cell phone while driving – penalty rises from 5 to 6 points
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian – penalty rises from 3 to 5 points
- Reckless driving or passing a stopped school bus – penalty rises from 5 to 8 points
- Failure to move over for emergency vehicles – 3 points
- Illegal U-turns – 2 points
- Obstructing traffic – 2 points
- Equipment violations – 1 point each