Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety Give New York a Good Grade

The National Safety Council (NSC) is a non-profit, non-governmental agency dedicated to protecting and promoting the health and safety of the public by preventing accidents and illness.  To carry out its mission, it conducts its own events and promotes those of other organizations consistent with its mission. 

The NSC’s current web site highlights the 2012 report of the Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety. The report lists safety achievements of the past year supported by the Advocates, including the passage of occupant seat belt laws, motorcycle helmet requirements and booster seat laws. Another important part of the report is the scorecard for individual states regarding their traffic safety laws.

New York State ranks relatively well, with only three areas of concern noted. The Advocates recommend that New York strengthen its restrictions on cell phone use while driving, raise the unrestricted drivers license age to 18 and implement a mandatory blood alcohol content test whenever a traffic accident causes a fatality.

Neighboring New Jersey fared similarly well in the Advocates’ rankings. Connecticut, however, was shown to need additional safety laws, includimg an all-rider motorcycle helmet law, a booster seat law through age 7, an open container restriction, and a child endangerment law relative to reckless and drunk driving.

Source: Advoctes for Highway and Auto Safety, “9TH ANNUAL ROADMAP TO STATE HIGHWAY SAFETY LAWS”, Jan., 2012.