Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill Sunday banning used car dealers from selling vehicles without working airbags.
The bill, named “Anthony Amoros’ Law” after a young Rockland County man who died in a crash driving a car that wasn’t equipped with an airbag eight years ago, prohibits second-hand sellers from hawking automobiles without the self-inflating safety device.
“It’s crucial that drivers have the protection of an airbag in case tragedy strikes, which is why this new legislation is so important,” Hochul said in a statement. “I’m honored to sign this bill into law in memory of Anthony Amoros and grateful to his family for their advocacy to honor his memory.”
The new law takes effect in 90 days and states that vendors won’t be allowed to sell used cars unless they have an official certificate that they contain an airbag and each car’s readiness indicator light doesn’t show a malfunctioning blowup pillow.
There is no law that currently requires used vehicles to be sold with a functioning airbag, leaving motorists more vulnerable to lethal crashes.
The law’s namesake Anthony Amoros died at the age of 18 in 2013 after crashing his recently-bought car on Thiells Mount Ivy Road in suburban Rockland west of the Hudson River.
He didn’t know the car lacked airbags when he purchased it, according to reports.
“This law makes New York safer for motorists and honors a remarkable young Rocklander,” said one of the law’s sponsors, local Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski, in a statement. “When a car is supposed to have an airbag, and that airbag is missing or unworkable, tragedy awaits.”
