Yonkers may use cameras to ticket speeding near schools

Yonkers may run a school speed camera program. Cameras are limited to 25 school speed zones at once. A zone covers no more than 1,320 feet of a road passing a school building, entrance, or exit. Cameras may operate when school speed limits apply. For other posted limits, use is limited to school days during school hours and one hour before and after, or student activities and up to 30 minutes before and after. The city must post warning signs, train operators, test cameras daily before use, and have an independent laboratory check their accuracy annually. If Yonkers runs the program, it must study the results and report each June 1 on crashes, tickets, finances, and how cases were handled. The law took effect September 13, 2026, 30 days after signing. It expires December 31, 2031.

If Yonkers runs the program, vehicle owners face fines for camera-recorded speeding more than 10 miles per hour over the posted limit. Owner liability applies during authorized camera hours when the driver had permission to use the vehicle. Fines are capped at $50, with up to $25 extra for failing to respond on time. Owners are not liable if the driver used the vehicle without their consent or was convicted of the same speeding violation. The law presumes the driver had the owner's consent. Owners may contest tickets. A malfunctioning camera is a defense. A vehicle or plate reported stolen before the violation and still unrecovered is also a defense. A rental or leasing company can transfer liability to the renter if it filed with the city beforehand and supplies the required renter information within 37 days of receiving notice. These fines do not count as driver convictions, appear on driving records, or get used for vehicle insurance decisions. The city must mail notices within 14 business days for New York residents and 45 business days for nonresidents.

Yonkers must limit access to camera images and delete them after the required storage period. These rules cover Yonkers school speed camera images. Images are generally limited to resolving camera tickets and are not open to the public. The city must use technology to avoid identifying drivers, passengers, or vehicle contents as far as practical. Identifying images alone do not invalidate a ticket if the city made reasonable efforts. Owners and drivers may inspect and copy images while they are kept. Courts may require release through warrants or judge-signed subpoenas meeting the law's evidence requirements for misdemeanors or felonies. For another state's offense, the conduct must also be a misdemeanor or felony in New York. The city must destroy images when the ticket is finally resolved or one year after the notice was issued, whichever is later.