Obituary: Lois Sears (1944 – 2025)

ALBANY—The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) cautions New York drivers to be aware of a rise in staged crashes and car insurance fraud. The DMV also reminds drivers that the best way to avoid falling victim to these scams is to drive defensively.

“When someone intentionally causes a crash to collect insurance money, it’s called a staged crash or ‘crash for cash,’ which is a form of insurance fraud. By practicing defensive-driving habits, such as anticipating other drivers’ actions, not tailgating, and being prepared to react quickly, New Yorkers can avoid being victims of fraud,” DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said in a press release.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, staged crashes inflate the average auto insurance premium by about $100 to $300 per year. These types of scams are more common in states with a high number of drivers, like New York, which had the second-highest number of such crashes in the nation in 2023. There were 1,729 staged crashes in New York State in 2023, which is up 14% over 2022 and 34% over 2021.

While drivers cannot always predict what other drivers will do, the surest way to protect yourself is to practice defensive driving.

DMV’s online driver’s manual and practice tests provide a refresher for anyone interested. Here are some tips:

*Be prepared, look ahead, and keep both hands on the steering wheel

*Anticipate errors by other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians and think about what you will do if an error occurs

*Do not assume a driver who approaches a STOP or YIELD sign will actually stop or yield

*Maintain a safe speed

*Signal before you turn or change lanes

*Allow space and do not tailgate. Four out of every 10 crashes involve rear-end collisions, normally because a person is following too closely

*Wear your seatbelt

*Do not drive if you are tired or have consumed medication or alcohol

*Keep your vehicle in good condition

*Do not use handheld mobile devices while driving.

Drivers who take a DMV-approved defensive-driving course can take advantage of several benefits including: refreshing your driving knowledge; subtracting up to four points from your license; and, saving 10% on your auto insurance premium each year for three years.

The NYS Department of Financial Services (DFS) describes different types of insurance fraud and common auto insurance scams, such as the staged accident, runners and inflated claims, and it also provides information on how to respond.

If you are in a crash, DMV recommends you:

*Call the police and your insurance company

*Take photos of the damage to both cars

*Get the other driver’s plate number and insurance information

*Record the contact information of anyone in the other car

*Don’t give cash to the other driver

*Be wary of tow trucks that you or law enforcement did not call

*Be wary of anyone who suddenly appears at a crash scene to direct you to specific doctors or lawyers

*File a crash report with the DMV.

For more information about the DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov.

Efforts renewed to get more school bus drivers

ALBANY—As the need for school bus drivers across the country, including in New York, persists, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reminds prospective school bus drivers about efforts designed to remove barriers to becoming a certified bus driver.

A waiver from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) known as the “Under-the-Hood” exemption allows only Commercial Driver License (CDL) applicants planning to become school bus drivers to skip the pre-trip engine inspection portion of their road test. The exemption is aimed at helping districts in states across the country hire more bus drivers without sacrificing safety, as all other existing school bus inspection and maintenance standards continue to apply.

During their road tests, applicants must still perform the remaining elements of the Commercial Driver License vehicle inspection skills test.

“By continuing to offer the Under-the-Hood exemption, we’re paving the way for more people to get behind the wheel of a school bus, where drivers are needed to perform a critical service in our communities. What makes school bus drivers so irreplaceable is their ability to get our kids back and forth to school safely, not their ability to replace a crankshaft,” DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder, who also chairs the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, said in a press release.

DMV first implemented the exemption in January 2024 in support of Governor Kathy Hochul’s initiative to address the school bus driver shortage. Now that the waiver has been extended, DMV will continue to offer it through November 28, 2026, when the waiver is expected to expire.

In addition to offering the waiver, DMV has significantly expanded access to CDL road tests statewide by partnering with third parties to offer these tests rather than requiring applicants to take their skills tests at a DMV site. DMV has also worked with county-run DMV offices around the state to expand capacity for written commercial learner permit exams.

Despite these efforts, the need for bus drivers remains. In August 2022, nearly three-quarters of school district superintendents who responded to a New York State School Boards Association survey anticipated having bus driver staffing shortages that year. Districts still face a shortage, according to the New York School Bus Contactors Association.

“The driver shortage continues to be an issue for our members, with the impact varying by contractor. While we haven’t yet reached pre-Covid number of drivers, we are making progress, thanks in part to initiatives like the S-1 Under-the-Hood exemption. For many potential drivers, the time spent under the hood can be stressful. The S-1 exemption allows these candidates to focus more on safe driving practices,” Vice President of the New York School Bus Contractors Association Paul Quinn Mori said in the release.

The Under-the-Hood waiver applies to new CDL applicants or applicants who previously held, but no longer hold, a CDL and want the School Bus (S) and Passenger (P) endorsements. Applicants who have a current CDL are not eligible for this exemption. 

CDL applicants who want the exemption must take the “Limited School Bus” road test. The exemption requires the CDL Intrastate Only (K) restriction and the CDL School Bus Only (S1) restriction to be applied. 

Applicants who choose to get the exemption must pass the “Limited School Bus” road test and visit a DMV office on or before November 28, 2026, to amend their license to a CDL. 

Visit the DMV’s website dmv.ny.gov  for more information, including a list of steps to get a School Bus Only CDL.