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New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

DMV has proposed to increase the point value for certain violations such as passing a stopped school bus. METRO photo

By A. Craig Purcell, Esq.

A. Craig Purcell

Back in September of 2023, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issued a press release to announce proposals to strengthen regulations “to get dangerous drivers off the road.” These proposed amendments would bolster the state’s ability to remove drivers who engage in risky behavior and make it “more difficult for persistent violators to restore driving privileges.” 

These changes in regulations are part of a multifaceted strategy to combat reckless driving, which endangers everyone. 

Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, Mark J.F. Schroeder, stated that “the message is simple: If your actions behind the wheel put others in danger, you don’t belong in the driver’s seat. That’s why we are proposing significant and aggressive actions to protect other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians and children. Everyone deserves to feel safe regardless of how they choose to commute or enjoy our roads.” The amendments will: 

1. Increase the number of points associated with dangerous driving. 

The long-established Driver Violation Point System gives the NYS DMV a way to identify and act against high-risk drivers. The DMV assigns points for certain traffic violations. DMV is proposing to add point values to violations that presently have none. These violations include alcohol or drug-related convictions, driving without a license, and any violation involving speeding in a work zone, leaving the scene of a personal injury crash, or striking a bridge. DMV has also proposed to increase the point value for certain violations such as passing a stopped school bus.

2. Decrease the threshold at which dangerous drivers are disqualified from holding a license. 

Currently, if a licensed driver accumulates 11 points in 18 months, his or her driver’s license may be suspended. The DMV is proposing to amend that regulation to keep more habitual offenders from driving. The proposed amendment will increase the time frame that administrative action can be taken against a persistent violator from 18 months to 24 months. DMV is also proposing changes to the point system used to evaluate requests for re-licensure after drivers have been convicted of multiple reckless driving and similar violations. 

These changes will make it more difficult for drivers with many convictions to regain their driving privileges. During that evaluation process, DMV is also proposing a change that will allow the agency to consider an applicant’s driving history going back four years from the date they applied for re-licensure. DMV previously looked at a driver’s record going back three years.

3. Lower the bar for permanent license forfeiture for reckless drivers who continue to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

DMV is also proposing to reduce the number of alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions or incidents that would result in a permanent denial of a driver’s license application. Currently, where regulations stipulate that an application for re-licensure be denied if a driver has five or more alcohol or drug-related driving convictions, the DMV is proposing to lower that number to four or more alcohol or drug-related convictions. 

The DMV is also proposing to change regulations to allow for permanent license revocation after three alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions plus one or more other serious driving offenses. 

Other proposed changes will empower the DMV to deny an application for re-licensure for two years if the applicant has three alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions and no serious driving offense. Other applicants who meet the same criteria but have a current license revocation for an alcohol or drug-related conviction will face a five-year revocation.

We will keep the public informed on the progress of these proposals in the New York State Legislature.

A. Craig Purcell, Esq. is a partner at the law firm of Glynn Mercep Purcell and Morrison LLP in Setauket and is a former President of the Suffolk County Bar Association and Vice President of the New York State Bar Association.

The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees hosted its monthly general meeting Tuesday, Sept. 5, when it addressed a recent emergency response situation over Labor Day weekend while advancing other local business.

Public safety

Code enforcement chief Andy Owen updated the public on a bomb threat in Port Jeff Harbor on Sunday, Sept. 3, highlighting the misinformation circulated on social media.

“This past Sunday, we had a bomb threat,” Owen indicated. “Once again, Facebook blew up, and it was all false. Everything you read on Facebook was false.”

The code chief said nine agencies were involved, including the Suffolk County Police Department, the village code department and the U.S. Coast Guard, among others.

“As per the Real Time Crime Center, it was a false threat,” Owen said. “It was deemed low risk by Suffolk County.”

The code chief reported that as the event unfolded in real time, “a lot of scuttlebutt” circulated on Facebook concerning the lack of an immediate public statement from the village.

“There are several reasons why a statement wasn’t put out,” he said. “One, to prevent chaos and unwanted onlookers,” adding that the code department had also sought “to ensure a proper and thorough investigation.”

Reports

Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the board is considering a resolution “to create a parking pass situation where Belle Terre residents can purchase a pass for the season and not have to worry about paying the parking meters on a regular basis.”

“That might encourage Belle Terre residents to come down more often, and then if that works for Belle Terre residents, maybe we can expand it out to other members of the community,” the mayor added.

Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay, who had attended the recent listening tour event in Brentwood on the New York State Environmental Bond Act [See story, “NYS offers possibilities of $4.2B bond act for Suffolk County, urges public input,” Aug. 31, TBR News Media], referred to the event as “illuminating,” with potential for the village to make use of those funds to confront a range of climate-related challenges.

Kassay added to the ongoing local debate surrounding the closure of the Port Jefferson Station office of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, saying the closure would require village residents to travel farther, experience longer wait times and less availability of appointments.

Trustee Bob Juliano indicated that he would hold his first sit-down event this Saturday, Sept. 9. “I’ll be over at the Village Center in the living room from 9 to 10:30 [a.m.] if anybody wants to come by and just discuss with me different things going on in the village, different ideas,” he said.

Trustee Stan Loucks reported that village beaches remain open, though there are no longer lifeguards. “Be aware and careful up there if you’re going to be swimming,” he advised. He added that the bathrooms at East and West Beach will remain open.

Loucks also reported on a recent meeting with leaders from the Port Jefferson School District, who had expressed interest in extending speed tables along Scraggy Hill Road. [For more on these public safety concerns, see story, “Port Jeff village board holds public hearing on Scraggy Hill stop signs …” Aug. 24, TBR News Media website.]

Other business

The board had also agreed to enter into an internship agreement with Stony Brook University to offer programs such as public administration, civil engineering, information technology, communications, graphic design and other disciplines.

“We’re working very closely with the career center to make these internships come together,” Sheprow said. “We’re very excited about working with the university students to help pull our village into the current century.”

The board voted to accept the resignation of deputy village attorney Richard Harris, effective Sept. 14. “I just want to thank attorney Harris for his years of service to the village,” Kassay said. “He was always a strong colleague, and his work here is appreciated.”

To watch the full general meeting, including public comments, see the video above.

The DMV In the Three Roads Plaza will close its doors on Aug. 25. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

By Heidi Sutton

The Port Jefferson Station office of New York State’s Department of Motor Vehicles will close by the end of August. 

In a press release on July 27 the agency announced that it is consolidating its brick-and-mortar locations in Suffolk County and that the closing was part of its strategic transformation plan and “ongoing efforts to maximize operational efficiencies and best utilize taxpayer resources.”  

The office, located at 1055 Route 112 in the Three Roads Plaza, will no longer serve customers after August 25. Operations and staff at that location will be absorbed by the other four offices in Suffolk County which include Medford, Hauppauge, Dix Hills, and Riverhead.

“One of the foundational goals of our transformation effort is to change how we operate and to work more effectively in a fiscally responsible manner,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “All decisions about our office locations are made with our customers and employees top of mind, and through careful consideration and analysis of the facts and data.”

Schroeder said the decision was based on the expansion of the DMV’s online and self-service transactions which had led to a declining number of in-person transactions at the Port Jefferson Station office.  

“Because of the significant expansion of our online footprint, our appointment system, and the processing efficiencies we have gained in the past two years, we see an opportunity to shift our workforce to the other locations in Suffolk County to maximize the capacity in those offices and ultimately to serve our customers better and faster,” he said.

There are currently more than 70 transactions and services available at DMV.NY.GOV that customers can use to better prepare to visit an office and make their experience as seamless as possible or skip the trip altogether. Customers can renew a driver license or vehicle registration online, order a duplicate document, request their driving record, pay fees and fines, check the status of their ID, change their address and more. 

For in-person transactions, customers are encouraged to visit the Medford office at 2799 Route 112, which is approximately 10 miles from the Port Jefferson Station location. 

“The average customer who visits [the DMV office] is in and out in less than 30 minutes thanks to DMV’s appointment scheduling system that allows customers to avoid waiting in line” said the release.

For more information, call their customer service number at 1-800-698-2931.

Deer during mating season cause havoc on the roads. Photo from Kathy Schiavone

It’s that time of year when deer look to mate, and that can result in dangers for motorists on local roadways.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Environmental Conservation are advising motorists to take care when navigating roads during October, November and December. While deer can be seen all year round roaming around the North Shore, during the fall it’s breeding season.

More deer on the roads in the fall mean an increase in collisions with the animals. Photo from Kathy Schiavone

Two-thirds of the crashes between deer and vehicles occur during the three-month span, according to a press release from the agencies.

In a TBR News Media article from October of 2018, Lori Ketcham, a rehabilitator with Middle Island-based Save the Animals Rescue Foundation, reminded residents that deer don’t hesitate when they are crossing a street, especially in the fall.

“The boys only have one thing on their mind,” Ketcham said. “They’re following the scent so they’re just running. They smell a girl down the street. They run, and they don’t care if there are roads in the way.”

Mark J.F. Schroeder, DMV commissioner and chair of the governor’s traffic safety committee, said drivers should exercise extreme caution during the autumn months.

“When you see a deer-crossing sign along a highway, that means deer have been seen at that location and have collided with cars there,” Schroeder said. “Those signs are meant to warn you to be extra cautious when driving through such locations.”

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said drivers should be alert during both dawn and dusk. The animals tend to be more active during these periods of the day while visibility is also reduced.

The state agencies also recommend decreasing speed when you approach deer near roadsides as they can bolt out or change direction quickly. If you see a deer, look for others as they are herd animals and usually travel in groups.

Motorists are also advised to brake firmly and avoid swerving if they encounter an animal, as swerving can cause collisions. The DEC recommends not approaching an injured animal as they can strike out with their legs or hooves.

Here are a few additional tips in case of a deer collision:

● Move your vehicle to a safe place. If possible, pull over to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights. If you must leave your vehicle, stay off the road and out of the way of any oncoming vehicles.

● Call the police. Alert authorities if the animal is blocking traffic and creating a threat for other drivers. If the collision results in injury, death or more than $1,000 in property damage, you must fill out an official crash report and send it to the DMV.

● Look for leaking fluid, loose parts, tire damage, broken lights, a hood that won’t latch and other safety hazards. If your vehicle seems unsafe in any way, call for a tow truck.

According to the 2018 State Farm Insurance deer-vehicle collision study, it was estimated that there were 1.33 million deer, elk, moose and caribou collisions between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018, in the U.S. — down from 1.34 million cited in the company’s 2017 study. New Yorkers had a one in 165 chance of crashing into the animals in 2018, according to State Farm.