S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1905
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   January 13, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M. of A. MAYER, BENEDETTO, CLARK, CRESPO, GALEF, RIVERA,
         OTIS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRENNAN, COOK, DUPREY,  GOODELL
         -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
       AN  ACT  to  establish the senior driver safety commission and providing
         for its powers and duties;  and  providing  for  the  repeal  of  such
         provisions upon expiration thereof
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. This act shall be known and  may  be  cited  as  the  "Bill
    2  Geller  act",  in memory of Bill Geller, a forty-seven year old man from
    3  Somers, New York who was struck and killed by an eighty-eight  year  old
    4  driver  as  he was walking down a road on a clear, sunny day. Mr. Geller
    5  left a grieving family, including a young  son.  The  driver  was  never
    6  charged in conjunction with his death.
    7    S 2. Legislative intent. 1. The legislature hereby finds and declares:
    8    (a)  seniors  represent  the  fastest-growing segment of drivers, with
    9  current projections suggesting that a quarter of  all  drivers  will  be
   10  over 65 by 2025;
   11    (b)  drivers  85  years  of  age and older have a higher rate of fatal
   12  accidents than teenagers;
   13    (c) accidents involving senior drivers are caused  in  large  part  by
   14  factors  such as diminished peripheral vision, which can lead drivers to
   15  enter roadways in the path of oncoming vehicles; slower reaction time; a
   16  more limited range of movement; and poor night vision; and
   17    (d) based upon the National Highway  Traffic  Safety  Administration's
   18  suggestions  and  comparative  analysis of provisions across the states,
   19  New York State lags behind  other  states  in  adopting  age-appropriate
   20  driving safeguards.
   21    2.  The  legislature therefore finds and declares that a senior driver
   22  safety commission shall be established pursuant to this act.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00313-01-5
       A. 1905                             2
    1    S 3. Senior driver safety commission. 1. The commission shall  consist
    2  of  twelve members. Four of the members shall be appointed by the gover-
    3  nor, of which one shall be from the department of  motor  vehicles,  one
    4  shall be from the department of transportation and one shall be from the
    5  office  for  the aging.   Three of the members shall be appointed by the
    6  temporary president of the senate.    Three  of  the  members  shall  be
    7  appointed  by the speaker of the assembly. One member shall be appointed
    8  by the minority leader of the senate. One member shall be  appointed  by
    9  the  minority  leader  of  the  assembly. All appointments shall be made
   10  within thirty days of the effective date of this act.
   11    2. The commission shall, within twenty days following the  appointment
   12  of all its members, elect a chairperson from among such members.
   13    3.  The commission shall study, examine and review the issue of senior
   14  driver safety. In conducting its study, the commission shall:
   15    (a) evaluate the effectiveness of  current  laws  and  regulations  in
   16  regards to senior driver safety;
   17    (b)  make  regulatory  and  legislative  recommendations  necessary to
   18  increase the safety of all drivers, passengers and pedestrians;
   19    (c) survey and assess the leading causes of senior  driver  car  acci-
   20  dents;
   21    (d) identify and analyze preventative measures that may be implemented
   22  by the state to reduce the number of accidents involving senior drivers;
   23    (e) study and evaluate the availability and effectiveness of screening
   24  tests for identifying impaired drivers;
   25    (f)  survey  and assess the problems of driving under the influence of
   26  prescription drugs often used by senior drivers;
   27    (g) analyze and provide measures that may mitigate the  risks  associ-
   28  ated  with  the operation of motor vehicles by senior drivers, including
   29  the use of non-traditional driving devices that may mitigate risks; and
   30    (h) consider any other issues  or  matters  the  commission  may  deem
   31  appropriate to fulfill the scope of its charge.
   32    4. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommen-
   33  dations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty
   34  days after the effective date of this act.
   35    S  4. As used in this act "senior driver" is defined as any individual
   36  aged 70 and older with a valid driver's license issued by the  New  York
   37  state department of motor vehicles.
   38    S 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect
   39  until  the  one  hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law,
   40  when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.