Albany, NY (WRGB) — In an initiative first announced in 2023, New York State will be implementing more new traffic safety regulations this month.

The regulations, which have been rolled out in stages since then, will be fully enforceable February 16th.

Passing a stopped school bus, reckless driving, work zone speeding, bridge strikes will increase from five points to eight points.

Using a cell phone while driving will increase from four to six points.

Going more than 10 miles over the speed limit will increase from three to four points.

Any alcohol- or drug-related driving conviction will increase from five points to eight for the first offense. And instead of five infractions, an individual now will have permanent license denial after three alcohol or drug related driving infraction plus one other serious driving offense.

The time frame for points to reset will also be extended from 18 months to 24 months.

Aaron Pam, a senior associate at Tully Rinckey, says when challenging infractions, people will be likely trying to pay higher fines in order to avoid points.

"Whether you bring a lawyer or not, we are almost always asked the same question, which is, ‘Can you take my charge which carries some points, and get me to a deal where it carries no points,’ and there’s a lot less of those," Pam says. "Now, in other words, it’s trickier. Now, even with an attorney to help you in court, it’s trickier to find an infraction. If you’re charged with speeding, going 10 miles an hour over the limit, it’s not so easy anymore. Just to reduce that to something smaller that carries zero points, most things now carry a few points, and many things now carry significant points. So when somebody says, ‘Please help me go to traffic court, I’m charged with something that carries six points, and if I get convicted, they’ll suspend my license.’ I have to find something that’s worth only two points and see if I can make a trade. But it’s now harder and harder to find things that only carry 01, or two points."

Pam says he doesn’t believe the way laws are enforced will change, and that people who rarely get tickets won’t feel much of an impact, and that repeat offenders will be more affected.

When the regulations were first proposed in 2023, the DMV released this statement:

“The message is simple: If your actions behind the wheel put others in danger, you don’t belong in the driver’s seat. That’s why we are proposing significant and aggressive actions to protect other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians and children. Everyone deserves to feel safe regardless of how they choose to commute or enjoy our roads," Mark J.F. Schroeder, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, said.