Section 155. Traffic infraction

The  violation of any provision of this
  chapter, except articles forty-seven and forty-eight,  or  of  any  law,
  ordinance,  order,  rule  or  regulation regulating traffic which is not
  declared by this chapter or other law of this state to be a  misdemeanor
  or  a  felony.  A  traffic  infraction is not a crime and the punishment
  imposed therefor shall not be deemed for any purpose a penal or criminal
  punishment and shall not affect or impair the credibility as  a  witness
  or  otherwise  of any person convicted thereof. This definition shall be
  retroactive and shall  apply  to  all  acts  and  violations  heretofore
  committed  where such acts and violations would, if committed subsequent
  to the taking effect of this section, be included within the meaning  of
  the  term  "traffic  infraction"  as  herein  defined.  Except  in those
  portions  of  Suffolk  county  for  which  a  district  court  has  been
  established,  outside  of  cities  having  a population in excess of two
  hundred thousand in which administrative tribunals have heretofore  been
  established, courts and judicial officers heretofore having jurisdiction
  over  such  violations shall continue to do so and for such purpose such
  violations shall be  deemed  misdemeanors  and  all  provisions  of  law
  relating  to misdemeanors except as provided in section eighteen hundred
  five of this chapter and except as herein otherwise  expressly  provided
  shall  apply  except  that  no  jury  trial shall be allowed for traffic
  infractions. In those portions of Suffolk county for  which  a  district
  court  has been established, and in cities having a population in excess
  of  two  hundred  thousand  in  which  administrative   tribunals   have
  heretofore  been  established,  the  criminal  courts  of such cities or
  portions  of  Suffolk  county  in  which  a  district  court  has   been
  established  shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any complaint
  alleging a violation constituting  a  traffic  infraction,  except  that
  administrative  tribunals  heretofore  established  in  such  cities  or
  portions  of  Suffolk  county  in  which  a  district  court  has   been
  established  shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any charge of
  an offense which is a traffic infraction, except  parking,  standing  or
  stopping.  In  cities  having  a  population  in  excess  of two hundred
  thousand  in  which  administrative  tribunals  have   heretofore   been
  established,  and  any  such  administrative tribunal established by the
  city of Yonkers, the city of Peekskill, or the city  of  Syracuse,  such
  tribunals shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any charge of an
  offense  which  is  a  parking, standing or stopping violation. Any fine
  imposed by an administrative tribunal shall  be  a  civil  penalty.  For
  purposes  of  arrest  without a warrant, pursuant to article one hundred
  forty of the criminal procedure  law,  a  traffic  infraction  shall  be
  deemed an offense.