S 5869: Creates the teen driver safety commission consisting of 12 members; requires the commission to study, examine and review the issue of teen driver safety; requires the commission to report its findings, conclusions and recommendations.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5869 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 3, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to establish the teen driver safety commission and providing for its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative declaration. The legislature hereby finds and 2 declares: (a) that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death 3 for teens; (b) the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16 to 4 19 year olds than among any other age group; and (c) the presence of 5 teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. 6 The legislature therefore finds and declares that a teen driver safety 7 commission shall be established pursuant to this act. 8 § 2. Teen driver safety commission. 1. The commission shall consist of 9 twelve members. Four of the members shall be appointed by the governor, 10 of which one shall be from the department of motor vehicles. Three of 11 the members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate. 12 Three of the members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. 13 One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. One 14 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. All 15 appointments shall be made within thirty days of the effective date of 16 this act. 17 2. The commission shall, within twenty days following the appointment 18 of all its members, elect a chairperson from among such members. 19 3. The commission shall study, examine and review the issue of teen 20 driver safety. In conducting its study, the commission shall: 21 (a) study and evaluate the availability and effectiveness of driver 22 education and training programs in the state, as well as a selection of 23 driver education and training programs offered throughout the United 24 States; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10332-01-5 
 S. 5869 2 1 (b) survey and assess the problems of driving under the influence of 2 drugs and alcohol and aggressive driving among teens; 3 (c) review the impact of distracting behaviors while driving, includ- 4 ing, but not limited to, the use of hands-free electronic communication 5 devices and the manual use of non-standard audio devices; 6 (d) determine the type of motor vehicle violations that are most often 7 associated with accidents involving teen drivers; 8 (e) evaluate the role and utilization of defensive driving and acci- 9 dent prevention programs; 10 (f) determine and analyze any non-standard safety devices that may be 11 available; and 12 (g) consider any other issues or matters the commission may deem 13 appropriate to fulfill the scope of its charge. 14 4. Additionally, the commission shall analyze and provide measures 15 that may mitigate the risks associated with the operation of motor vehi- 16 cles by teen drivers. Such measures shall include, but not be limited 17 to: 18 (a) requiring the parents of a teen driver to attend all court 19 proceedings and hearings associated with motor vehicle violations 20 charged to such teen driver; 21 (b) assessing fines or penalties to the parents of a teen driver when 22 they knowingly allow such driver to operate a motor vehicle in violation 23 of a class restriction; and 24 (c) prohibiting anyone, other than family members or a supervising 25 driver, from riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by a teen 26 driver. 27 5. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommen- 28 dations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty 29 days after the effective date of this act. 30 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect 31 until the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law, 32 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.