By Yisroel R.

New York City drivers can expect a noticeable shift in traffic enforcement beginning this month, February 2026, as updated state policies change how driving violations are penalized and how quickly license suspensions can occur.

While New York law has always treated any speed over the posted limit as a violation, enforcement in practice has often been more lenient. In many cases, officers historically refrained from issuing speeding tickets unless a driver was driving 10 miles per hour or more above the limit. Officials say that the approach is now beginning to tighten as part of a broader effort to crackdown on dangerous driving. Under the new policy officers will issue violations to drivers exceeding the speed limit even by one mile per hour.

The most significant change involves the driver point system administered by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Under the updated policy, drivers will face license suspension after accumulating 10 points within a 24-month period, replacing the previous threshold of 11 points within 18 months. The longer window means violations will remain active on a driver’s record for a greater period of time, allowing points to add up more easily.

Point values for several common violations will also increase. Speeding 1 to 10 miles per hour over the limit will now carry 4 points, up from 3. Using a handheld cellphone while driving will result in 6 points, failure to yield to a pedestrian will rise to 5 points, and reckless driving or illegally passing a stopped school bus will carry 8 points.