New Slow Moving Vehicle Laws

According to a press release from the Commissioner of Agriculture, NY's SMV laws have changed thusly...
(Wonder if they are going to enforce Amish compliance with these.)

"The following is a summary of three new laws, as well as lighting requirements that pertain to slow moving vehicles. For the exact language of the new laws, please refer to the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law at http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menuf.cgi.

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 100, paragraph (d): The law now pertains to every agricultural tractor, self-propelled implement of husbandry, and towed, mounted or semi-mounted implement of husbandry. “Implement of husbandry” means a vehicle designed or adapted exclusively for agricultural, horticultural or livestock raising operations or for lifting or carrying an implement of husbandry.

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 375, subdivision 36, paragraph (b): Farm machinery and implements of husbandry designed to operate at 25 mph or less, traveling on a public highway during day or night, whether self-propelled or used in combination, shall each separately display a slow-moving-vehicle emblem as specified by law. The previous law required an SMV emblem on either the tractor or the vehicle being towed, but not both.

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 376, subdivision 1, paragraph (a): It is unlawful to operate, drive, or park self-propelled agricultural equipment on any public highway or street during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise and during other times as visibility for a distance of 1,000 feet ahead of or behind such agricultural equipment is not clear, unless such agricultural equipment is equipped with approved lamps that are lighted and in good working condition.

Lighting Requirements for Self-Propelled Agricultural Equipment: When lighting is required, all self-propelled agricultural equipment shall also be equipped in accordance with New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law’s lighting requirements, which are as follows:

§ Head lamps: must be two white lights on the front of the equipment, at the same level and as far apart as practicable

§ Tail lamps: must be one red light at the rear of the equipment and as far to the left as practicable
§ Combined hazard warning and turn signal lamps: must be two amber lights at least 1.1 meters (or 42 inches) high at the same level, as far apart as practicable, and visible from both the front and rear

§ Rear reflectors: must be two red lights at the rear of the equipment, at the same level, and as far to the left as practicable."

By all means check the website about these laws. The above is taken straight from the press release and I don't know how much more there may be on this.

Here is another quote,

"In 2007, there were 59 accidents involving SMVs that resulted in 17 personal injuries in New York State. Farm equipment usually moves 25 miles per hour (mph) or less in areas where the speed limit may be posted at 55 mph, leaving little time for approaching traffic to react. According to the National Safety Council, roadway collisions that involve farm vehicles on U.S. roads total more than 15,000 per year. More than two-thirds of those collisions involve the farm vehicle being hit from behind and over 90 percent occur in the daylight and on dry roads. Usually, when a fatality occurs, the victim is the tractor operator.

Slow Moving Vehicle emblems must always be kept clean and must be replaced when faded. It is illegal to use SMV emblems as driveway or mailbox markers, which can confuse the meaning of the SMV emblem and lead to its loss of effectiveness as a warning device.

For questions about the New York State Vehicle and Traffic law or the changes to the law that went into effect this year, contact your local New York State Police Troop Traffic Section.":