New Yorkers have been known to ditch the seat belt when riding in taxis. But the de Blasio administration wants some passengers to buckle up, or face a ticket.
Taxis would be covered under the same law that requires front-seat passengers and children to wear a seat belt in any vehicle under a proposal from the administration outlined in a report on the mayor’s Vision Zero street safety agenda.
“Someone riding in the front seat of a vehicle should wear a seat belt — it’s pretty much a no-brainer and our laws should reflect that,” said Wiley Norvell, mayoral spokesman.
The proposal requires approval from Albany, which wrote the seat belt law that excluded taxis, according to Novell. The fine to riders for forgetting to strap in would range from $25 to $100.
The city’s top taxi official backed the proposal to reverse an “archaic” exemption for taxis in the state seat belt law.
“Seat belts save lives, and with more than half of taxi passengers choosing not to wear them, this is a common-sense approach to expanding their use,” said Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Meera Joshi.
