Senate Resolution No. 1420
BY: Senator COONEY
MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
January 19 - 23, 2026, as National Passenger Safety
Week in the State of New York
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official weeks that are set aside to increase awareness of concerns that
affect the lives of each and every New Yorker; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January 19-23, 2026, as
National Passenger Safety Week in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Everyone has an important role to play in increasing road
safety; in 2022, passenger vehicle occupants accounted for 36% of all
traffic fatalities nationwide; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration's (NHTSA) preliminary estimates, traffic deaths increased
seven percent in 2020, and in the first half of 2021, traffic fatalities
increased about 18.4% over the same period in 2020; and
WHEREAS, Passenger vehicle occupant deaths rose five percent in
2020; and
WHEREAS, Historic increases in traffic deaths occurred even though
there was a 13 percent decrease in vehicle miles traveled; and
WHEREAS, NHTSA's data shows the main behaviors driving this increase
were speeding, impaired driving and failure to wear seat belts; and
WHEREAS, Whether a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, is
speeding, driving too aggressively, driving distracted or cannot stay
awake at the wheel, bad driving choices put passengers at risk of
serious injury or death; and
WHEREAS, Many of those lives might have been saved had a passenger
in the car insisted the driver slow down, stop texting, or not get
behind the wheel in the first place; and
WHEREAS, Passengers - especially teens and young adults - need
education and encouragement to empower them to save lives by calling out
unsafe driving in the car as it happens; and
WHEREAS, Parents also need education and encouragement to teach
their children about the importance of speaking up or not getting in the
car with someone who is drunk, drugged or distracted; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January 19-23, 2026, as
National Passenger Safety Week in the State of New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.
