Friday, June 20, 2025
Driving on our roadways without a valid license endangers other motorists, passengers and pedestrians. Accidents caused by unlicensed drivers are especially tragic because they are preventable. Holding drivers who repeatedly flout license suspensions accountable would send a strong message that driving is a privilege, not a right, and that the rules of the road must be taken seriously.
Picture your daughter or son going to the beach with their friends or heading out for their first day at Nassau Community College, and having their future shattered by a driver with no legal right to be on the road. Collectively, we have all lost far too many children, mothers, fathers, spouses, sisters and brothers.
These aren’t abstract statistics, they are devastating losses, real lives, real dreams cut short. And too often, the legal response is blatantly inadequate: a misdemeanor charge, a small fine, a fleeting court date, and often these drivers are back on the road. In fact, 10 percent of all crashes in New York state are caused by drivers with suspended or revoked licenses, and yet 75 percent of these drivers continue to drive.
Our current penalties send the wrong message. One grieving mother put it best: “You can drive with five license suspensions, yet this routinely goes unnoticed until it is too late.” Her words showcase a painful truth: These laws offer little protection, and unless and until unlicensed drivers are held accountable, this practice will continue. The numbers are equally stark. In 2021, AAA reported more than 4,200 fatal crashes involving suspended-license drivers nationwide, the highest figure since records began in 1975. AAA also reported that here in New York, 63 drivers with suspended licenses and another 126 unlicensed drivers caused deadly collisions in 2021. These tragedies demand more than sympathy; they demand action.
This is why I’ve introduced Assembly bill A5953, joined by State Sen. Chris Ryan’s S4774. This bill would change how our state treats these offenses by unlicensed drivers, upgrading serious-injury cases to a Class E felony and fatalities to a Class D felony. No longer would repeated acts of unlicensed driving be treated as minor infractions.
Too often, conversations about road safety focus solely on infrastructure — pavement, signage, speed bumps — without addressing the dangerous behavior that turns vehicles into weapons. But our laws must reflect that those human decisions behind the wheel matter just as much. When someone knowingly drives with a suspended or revoked license, they’re not just breaking the law — they’re showing willful disregard for public safety. That level of recklessness must have real consequences.
This bill isn’t about punishing honest mistakes. It is targeted at people who have repeatedly made the decision to ignore court orders, DMV notices, and the basic rules we all agree to when we get our license to drive. It’s about closing a loophole that has allowed far too many dangerous drivers to slip through the cracks, often with devastating consequences.
Let’s be clear: This is a public safety issue, not a partisan one. Keeping reckless, unlicensed drivers off the road is something every community deserves, from Long Island to Buffalo. I urge my colleagues in the Legislature to support A5953 and S4774, and to stand with the families who have suffered heartbreaking loss.
Organizations deeply connected to these tragedies, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Families for Safe Streets, AAA New York and the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety have joined us in support, recognizing this bill as an essential step toward accountability and justice for victims. We all agree that stronger consequences are urgently needed to deter reckless driving and save lives.
We can honor the memory of those we’ve lost by demanding justice for victims and their families, and by prioritizing safety.
I am working diligently to gain support, increase awareness and bring this to the floor for a vote. Let’s send one unequivocal message: If you drive recklessly without a valid license, you will be held accountable.
New York cannot afford to wait. Every day we go without reform has the potential to leave another mourning family without justice. It’s time to protect our loved ones and make our roads safer.
Judy Griffin represents the 21st Assembly District.
