A person’s driving history will catch up with them if they find themselves fighting another ticket in court.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo Monday announced the Department of Motor Vehicles will give prosecutors information on tickets a driver received in the past 10 years. Previously, prosecutors had only received details on convictions.
Now, they will get information on tickets regarding aggravated unlicensed driving, offenses related to drugs or alcohol, or summonses that cost the driver a point on their license — even if the driver pleaded down to a lesser charge.
Juan Martinez, general counsel to nonprofit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, supported the move as a way to better identify drivers with a checkered history. He said drivers involved in fatal crashes are often repeat traffic offenders.
“These guys have been getting tickets for years. They have a history of being drivers who make bad choices and break the law,” Martinez said.
The information would only be available to district attorneys, paralegals and investigators working with prosecutors. Tickets that are dismissed or where youthful offender status was granted are excluded.
