Hello to all! What a winter we’ve had so far! It’s been years since we’ve had this much snow, and the temperatures have been quite brutal as well. I hope everyone has been staying safe and warm as we hope for a swift end to the winter weather. There are a few topics I’d like to cover today, so let’s jump right into it.
Starting February 16, 2026, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will roll out major changes to the driver’s license point system. The biggest takeaway is simple: It will be easier to rack up points, and once you do, DMV (and by extension the TLC) will be more likely to take action on your license.
One of the biggest changes is that DMV is extending the point “lookback” period from 18 months to 24 months. The lookback period is the window of time DMV uses to stack points from moving violations when deciding what action to take. With the extra six months, it becomes more likely that violations will overlap and add up, which increases the chances of triggering DMV action. It’s important to know that this change does not affect the Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee (DRAF) rules. The DRAF lookback period still remains 18 months, for now. In other words, DMV will use 24 months to decide what happens to your license, but it will still use 18 months to decide whether you owe the dreaded DRAF.
The DMV is also changing what happens when a driver hits certain point totals within that 24-month window. If you accumulate 4 to 6 points, the DMV may issue a warning letter. If you reach 7 to 10 points, the DMV may require you to complete a driver improvement clinic, which is six hours and can be done online. If you reach 11 or more points, the DMV may schedule a formal hearing to decide what action to take – which could include another warning, require you to take the above-mentioned “clinic,” or result in the suspension or revocation of your license. The DMV can also schedule a formal hearing if you rack up 9 or more points from speeding violations within 24 months. And if you do end up at a hearing, DMV monitors you closely afterward; picking up 4 or more additional points within the next 12 months can trigger further action.
Another major change is that the DMV is increasing point values for several violations, including some that previously carried zero points. In addition to speeding 41+ mph over the limit, two more categories will now be treated as 11-point violations: driving while your license or driving privilege is suspended or revoked, and alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions or incidents covered by the DMV’s rules. The risk to drivers is clear: the consequences of being behind the wheel with a suspended license will be much more severe.
The DMV is also creating a group of 8-point violations that drivers should take very seriously. These include speeding 31-40 mph over the limit, passing a stopped school bus, speeding in a posted highway construction or maintenance work zone, and over-height or bridge-strike violations.
In addition, the DMV is making several violations 5-point offenses, and for some of them this is a significant increase. The following will carry 5 points: facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation, speed contests or racing, failure to exercise due care, and leaving the scene of a crash with injuries. Leaving the scene of a property damage only crash remains a 3-point offense, so the higher points apply specifically when there is an injury involved.
Finally, the DMV is tightening its standards for drivers who are trying to regain driving privileges after alcohol- or drug-related incidents. Under the new rules, a relicensing denial will be triggered at four or more lifetime alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions or incidents, reduced from the previous threshold of five. DMV also strengthens the 25-year lookback approach so denial may apply where a driver has three alcohol/drug incidents within 25 years, plus one or more serious driving offenses within the same 25-year period.
The last detail to keep in mind is that dates matter. The new point values generally apply only when the violation happens on or after February 16, 2026, but the new 24-month lookback could still cause older violations to be included when DMV totals up your points… depending on timing and conviction dates. If you’re unsure how your tickets will be counted or whether you’re approaching a DMV action threshold, it’s worth checking your record and getting advice early, because under the new system, it takes less to trigger serious consequences.
Moving onto other state news, in January, Governor Kathy Hochul held her State of the State Address and there are two major topics mentioned that I think are important for you to be aware of. First: the auto insurance crisis. Drivers in New York pay an average of about $336 per month for coverage, among the highest rates in the country. That’s roughly $4,030 per year for a family with one car, around $1,500 more than the national average. In parts of New York City, costs can be even higher. Estimates show drivers in places like Brooklyn and the Bronx pay close to $6,000 per year, which can exceed 10% of a Bronx family’s median income.
These high prices also raise rates for for-hire vehicles (FHVs) and increase operating costs for small businesses that rely on vehicles (delivery services, contractors, distributors, restaurants). Even public transit is impacted, with agencies paying at least $50 million each year in insurance costs for buses and paratransit.
The Governor says the main causes are outdated and overly complex laws, combined with the fraud and abuse that drives up costs for everyone. The Black Car Fund joined a broad coalition of consumer advocates, industry experts and small business leaders to applaud Governor Hochul on addressing this issue. You can read the press release at: https://www.citizensforaffordablerates.com/011326-press-release.
As I said in the release, Governor Hochul is taking on one of the most stubborn and unfair costs-drivers facing New Yorkers: auto insurance. For FHV drivers, who work as independent contractors and must pay their own auto liability coverage, these costs hit especially hard. Cracking down on fraud and abuse will help bring down premiums for drivers who play by the rules, and that relief will flow directly to passengers through lower fares for black car, Uber and Lyft trips. These reforms also reinforce the broader fight against fraud across the transportation system, which supports our work at the Black Car Fund to protect honest drivers and ensure the workers’ compensation system works as intended.
Her proposal has eight major points which include: cracking down on auto insurance fraud, strengthening insurer’s anti-fraud programs, limiting payouts if a driver was breaking the law, limiting non-economic damages for drivers who are mostly at fault, tightening the “serious injury” standard, making sure consumers benefit from savings, increasing transparency when rates go up, and expanding discounts for safe driving. I would encourage you all to read the full proposal in the Governor’s State of the State book to better understand the details. You can read it here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/2026StateoftheStateBook.pdf. The section on auto insurance begins on page 26.
While this was welcome news, the second topic I wanted to cover was unfortunately a bombshell of unwelcome news. Governor Hochul announced that she will introduce legislation to allow for the “deployment of commercial for-hire autonomous passenger vehicles” outside of New York City.
As you know, The Black Car Fund and the Black Car Assistance Corporation have been working closely with other industry and advocacy groups to ensure our concerns are heard regarding Waymo and autonomous vehicles in general. Immediately following the Governor’s address, we issued a press release which addressed our opposition to this proposal and contained quotes from The Black Car Fund, Black Car Assistance Corporation, Long Island Limousine Association, Livery Roundtable, Livery Base Owners Association, and the Limousine, Bus, and the Taxi Operators of Upstate New York.
I feel very confident that this is not about geography. It is about trajectory. Authorizing driverless for-hire vehicles anywhere in New York sends a clear signal that the state is willing to put experimental technology on public roads at the direct expense of working drivers and the jobs they rely on. Once that happens, expansion is not hypothetical, it is inevitable. Please take a moment to read the full press release here: https://files.constantcontact.com/f6e7cd74801/5cc87e4c-618a-4f6b-b216-2bf71706c876.pdf.
I am continuing to work closely with this group as we combat this proposal, and I will be sure to include an update in next month’s column.
Moving back to some good news, you’ll recall last month I wrote about our newest benefit, the Health Navigation Service. This benefit is officially live in our Drivers Benefits Program, as of January 15th. I encourage you to visit the following website to learn more about it and begin taking advantage of its features: https://ny.driversbenefits.org/en/benefits/Health_Navigation.
As I wrap up, I’m also thrilled to invite you to our first resource fair of 2026 on March 2nd. It will be another eventful day filled with helpful resources, free health screenings and vital information from The Black Car Fund, our Drivers Benefits Program, and all of our amazing partners – such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Hebrew Free Loan Society, the Independent Drivers Guild, and more!
The fair will be held in two sessions, morning and afternoon, to keep things comfortable and easy for everyone. Both sessions will include the same information, prizes, and raffles, so you can pick whichever time works best for you. There is no set program, so stop by anytime during the session you sign-up for. Space is limited, so you must sign up to save your spot! I look forward to seeing you there.
Until next time!
