SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – In less than 90 days, “Anthony Amoros’ Law” will take effect in New York State, prohibiting used car dealers from selling vehicles without a working airbag.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law Sunday, the Governor’s Office announced. The law honors the late teen who was killed in an accident in Rockland County in 2013.
According to Governor’s Press Office, Amoros died in a crash at the age of 18, when the used car he bought was sold to him without working airbags, unknown to him and his family at the time.
Currently, there is no requirement that a used vehicle sold by a dealer would need to have a working airbag, the Governor’s Office said in a press release, but starting February 2022, used vehicle buyers will be given a certificate upon purchase that confirms the vehicle is equipped with an airbag and a readiness indicator light, which alerts if the airbag is functioning.
Kenneth Zebrowski, New York State Assembly District 96 Rep. , New York State Sen., James Skoufis, and the Amoros family brought the bill into fruition.
“His family turned the tragedy into some advocacy and worked with my office over the years to draft a bill, also with Senator Skoufis,” said Zebrowski. “It just takes, you know, a real-world situation. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s a tragedy, to bring these things to life.”
Through their joint effort, the bill passed through the New York State Legislature in June and went to Governor Hochul’s desk this week for her signature.
“Airbags make the car a lot safer when you’re driving because, as you know, cars in general, you never know when you’re going to get into an accident,” said Murphy McFarlane, a Syracuse resident.
Like a lot of situations in life, things are out of one’s control and after time, things will inevitably stop working, but unchecked safety measures may leave the door open for a tragedy to strike.
For, Marcus Veal, a Syracuse resident, that became his reality only a month and a half ago when he was t-boned driving in his car to a friends house.
“The airbags deployed on the side,” said Veal. “The paramedics said, that if it wasn’t for the airbags on the side, as well as just how reliable Hondas were, like I- would be in much – I would be in much worse shape.”
The passing of “Anthony Amoros’ Law” will protect drivers and their passengers while on the road and for Veal, who’s seen firsthand the importance of airbags, shares the same sentiment.
“It’s very important,” said Veal. “For me, [airbags] saved my life.”
