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Tompkins County Clerk Aurora R. Valenti is praising Governor Andrew Cuomo for his action blocking a new State Department of Motor Vehicles regulation that would have permitted  motorists renewing their driver’s licenses to self certify their vision.

“I applaud the Governor's good sense and positive action in shelving the ‘self-certification’ initiative attempted by the New York State DMV,” Clerk Valenti states.  “This regulation would have jeopardized our health and safety in Tompkins County and throughout New York State.”

As of September 28, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles had imposed a new regulation that permitted customers renewing their driver’s licenses to “self-certify” that they had 20/40 or better vision, which would have allowed them to by-pass the mandatory vision test normally required for renewal. Clerk Valenti had feared that unscrupulous or unsuspecting motorists would self certify their vision, which could have led to an increase in accidents and other roadway incidents due to the lack of a regulatory authority.

“This would have been a dangerous initiative,” Clerk Valenti states. “We were very concerned about how this regulation would have compromised the safety and well being of the motorists, pedestrians, etc.  We are happy that Governor Cuomo reexamined this new initiative before innocent people were hurt.”

Valenti also reminds motorists that DMV business done online circumvents the remuneration to the County, which is now realized at the rate of 12.7% of revenue received directly by the  local DMV office. “The Tompkins County DMV urges County residents to continue to visit the local office to obtain on-the-spot services, at no additional cost,” the Clerk states.  “Service provided by the local offices of DMV gives the customer an immediate document with which to operate a motor vehicle, without the necessity of waiting several weeks for the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles to return the item.”

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