Dinowitz urges DMV to grant extensions
DMV extends expiring driver documents, no extensions for vehicle inspections
BY STEVEN GOODSTEIN
A local politician has been
advocating for drivers with
upcoming vehicle inspection
expirations during the current
pandemic.
On Thursday, March 26,
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz
wrote a letter to New York
State Department of Motor Vehicles
not only requesting, but
strongly urging the NYS DMV
to grant extensions to individuals
who have an expiring vehicle
safety and emissions inspection
as soon as March 31
in response to the current coronavirus
pandemic.
In the letter, Dinowitz
states that, “the DMV is forcing
people to leave their homes
and risk exposing themselves
and others to the novel coronavirus
– a pandemic which has
already put our healthcare
system under severe strain.”
“There are only a few days
left in the month, and I know
people tend to procrastinate
on things like renewing their
vehicle inspections – but it defi
es logic that the state would
deliberately ask vehicle owners
to venture out into a global
pandemic just to avoid a fi ne,”
Dinowitz said, when asked
about the NYS DMV maintaining
their inspection requirement.
Although vehicle inspection
stations are considered
essential businesses, Dinowitz
further argued in the letter
that, “there is absolutely no
reason that someone should
be forced to choose between
facing fi nes for an expired inspection
in a severely damaged
economy and leaving the
safety of their homes.”
The NYS DMV previously
announced that all DMV offi
ces and auto bureaus statewide
will be closed until further
notice, which includes
both state and county-run
fi eld offi ces.
“These are extraordinary
times and at the direction of
Governor Cuomo, we are taking
broad action to protect the
health and safety of the public
and our workers,” said NYS
DMV commissioner Mark
BRONX TIMES R 20 EPORTER, APRIL 3–9, 2020 BT
Schroeder. “We will continue
to offer a wide selection of online
transactions during this
shutdown so New Yorkers can
continue to do business with
the DMV.
While offi ces are closed,
expiration dates for driver’s
licenses, non-driver IDs and
registrations set to expire on
or after March 1, 2020 will be
extended until further notice,
in compliance with Governor
Andrew Cuomo’s Executive
Order 202.8 to slow the spread
of COVID-19.
Motorists are still able to
renew these documents online
at dmv.ny.gov
However, as of press time,
there were still no grace periods
or extensions for vehicle
inspections.
“Repair shops and inspection
stations have been
deemed essential businesses
and remain open to preserve
motor vehicle safety at a time
when we cannot afford to
stress our health care system
with added car crashes,”
said DMV spokesperson Lisa
Koumjian.
In Dinowitz’ letter to the
NYS DMV, he went on to write,
“I appreciate that inspections
are a necessary requirement
in order to preserve roadway
safety and reduce vehicular
pollution – however, these are
unprecedented circumstances
and the situation merits fl exibility
from our DMV.”
Bronx Times reporter Jason
Cohen contributed to this
story.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz Jason Cohen
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