Bill > A05004

This bill introduces a comprehensive framework for dashboard cameras in motor vehicles, focusing on insurance incentives, certification, and legal admissibility. The legislation provides a 5% automobile insurance premium reduction for non-commercial passenger vehicles equipped with an operating dashboard camera, contingent upon meeting specific standards established by the commissioner of motor vehicles. Insurers will be required to review dashboard camera images during claims settlement, though these images will not be considered conclusive evidence but rather evaluated in the context of the entire claim. The bill mandates that during annual vehicle safety inspections, certified inspectors will verify the presence, compliance, and operational status of dashboard cameras, issuing appropriate certifications or notations. If an insured driver falsely certifies a dashboard camera's installation or fails to maintain it in working condition, the insurer may impose a civil penalty equal to the premium reduction for up to one year. Additionally, the bill establishes that dashboard camera images will be legally admissible as proof of events in both civil and criminal proceedings. The law will take effect on the first day of January following its passage, with insurance policy provisions applying to all policies issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on or after that date. The goal appears to be encouraging the use of dashboard cameras to provide additional evidence and potentially improve road safety and insurance claim processes.

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5004