New York Vehicle TV Laws
Usage of television sets and other signal-receiving screens and monitors in vehicles is governed by New York’s Vehicle & Traffic laws, Title 3, Article 9, Section 375: Equipment, Subsection 24.
TV screens in New York – legal or not?
In state of New York using TV screens in cars while driving is allowed as long as the screen is not visible to the driver. No television receiving device may be installed nor used which can be visible to the driver.
This means any TV monitors should be installed at any point behind the driver, or installed in such as way that drivers aren’t able to view it. Regardless of whether you’re using it or not, any device capable of receiving TV signals must not be placed in view of the driver.
Full section of New York laws regulating the use of TV monitors in cars is below.
New York Vehicle & Traffic – Section 375 (24)
24. It shall be unlawful to operate upon any public highway in this state a motor vehicle which is equipped with a television receiving set within view of the operator or in which a television receiving set is in operation within the view of the operator. A motor vehicle shall not be deemed to be equipped with a television receiving set solely because such set utilizes power from such vehicle. The provisions of this subdivision shall not prohibit a vehicle with a weight of ten thousand pounds or more or a school bus from using closed-circuit television receiving equipment exclusively for safety and maneuvering purposes, in accordance with regulations to be established by the commissioner.
Law source (scroll to subsection 24).
New York laws do permit “closed-circuit television receiving equipment exclusively for safety and maneuvering“, meaning GPS devices, vehicle information displays, or parking cameras are permitted. Use of other devices is regulated by Distracted Driving laws. These laws also restrict the use of mobile phones, tablets, laptops, or other electronic devices.
In addition, New York’s Vehicle & Traffic laws prohibit driving while wearing more than one earphone.
To summarize, New York TV screen laws prohibit placing TV screens within driver’s view. Ensure that any such devices are placed to the rear of the driver.
Regardless of your personal opinions, watching movies, TV shows or news while driving is incredibly distracting and you can put yourself and other drivers in danger, so it’s best to avoid it.
Violating vehicle equipment laws and using monitors to display television is punishable by law. You can get a traffic citation for distracted driving or any number of other penalties and fines.