Drivers, here’s your chance to provide input to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This annual “Driver’s Opinion Survey” uses data for reports, programs, etc., to help support effective highway safety measures and to further reduce crashes and fatalities on New York’s roadways. The only requirement is that you must be a licensed driver in New York state.

I recently took the survey, which takes only about five minutes, and was just a matter of clicking on your answer to multiple choice questions. Questions involved how often you used a seatbelt, speeding five mph or 10 mph over the limit, cell phone use, and driving while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or cannabis.

There were also questions on how you viewed the chances of getting a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, cellphone use while driving and getting caught for driving under the influence. In case you think that by answering these questions honestly that you will be ticketed, that is absolutely not true — enforcement will not even see your personal responses.

These surveys were formerly conducted in person at DMV offices, but since COVID, the survey is online.

The survey is up on DMV/GTSC homepages, social and other channels. It closes at the end of September but take it now while it is still fresh on your mind. You can access the survey by going to: www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSSJL22.