Dangerous Roads newsletter: Tougher point system could improve safety — and cost drivers

It just became a whole lot easier to lose your license.

Before Monday, drivers could have their licenses suspended after accruing 11 points over an 18-month period. That’s stretched to 24 months under the new policy, meaning it will take an extra six months to wipe away the points that come with a speeding ticket or any other driving violation that comes with points.

And that list got a lot longer. Engaging in "speed contests and races" now comes with 5 points. Striking a bridge with a vehicle that is over-height now comes with 8. Before, neither infraction had points attached.

Other offenses that already carried points, such as passing a stopped school bus, now come with a higher point assessment. (This only applies to tickets given by an officer, not an automated camera).

DMV officials and advocates say the changes could go a long way in making roads safer. Robert Sinclair Jr., spokesman for AAA Northeast, said in a statement that the changes "will send a strong message to bad drivers that they should change their behavior, quickly."

But attorney Adam Rosenblum, of TrafficTickets.com, said it’s not just road menaces who could end up losing their licenses and pay hundreds of dollars in fees because of the changes. For example, work zone speeding violations now come with an 8-point assessment — regardless of how many miles over the speed limit a car traveled. A driver caught going even 5 mph over a posted work zone speed limit twice in two years could have his license suspended, a penalty Rosenblum said "definitely seems excessive, especially relative to what we’ve been used to."

Some violations that already came with automatic license suspensions — such as driving while intoxicated — now also come with points. "So why are they attaching so many points to it?" Rosenblum asked. "A cynical person might say, ‘Well, because they’re looking for the money. They’re looking for the penalties that attach to the ... points." 

In New York, accruing 6 or more points on your license over 18 months triggers an automatic "driver responsibility assessment" that could cost several hundred dollars and must be paid annually for three years.

Rosenblum also expects the tougher laws will impact plea bargains in court, giving prosecutors more leverage. "When the rules get stricter, the deals get worse," he said.

For all their potential drawbacks, Rosenblum does expect the new rules will make roads safer, as drivers are more likely to think twice before making the same mistake again.

Readers speak up

This week's email comes from a senior who points out the double whammy of harsh winter weather: potholes in roads and competing priorities for those who fix them.

I have two potholes. I still haven't called the town yet because it's too damn cold and everything's frozen. ... I also understand this weather has taken its toll on all the roads, so even if I put in a work order, which I didn't get around to do, I probably wouldn't see anything until the spring. This is horrible, but we pay a lot of taxes in Oyster Bay. And unless you call, it's like well, "If it ain't broke, we're not fixing it."

Sally Williams, Massapequa

How have your local roads fared this winter? Let us know at roads@newsday.com.

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.