Some new changes went into effect this week at the DMV with an eye toward improving passenger safety in limos and other larger vehicles.

All of the changes appear related to issues highlighted by last year’s fatal crash in Schoharie.

One change will keep altered motor vehicles from being registered if they violate federal safety requirements.

Questions have been added to the vehicle registration form to identify those vehicles, which could include some modified stretch limos.

Another law change requires inspection stations to notify the DMV whenever such a vehicle requests an inspection, and to refuse inspection if the vehicle lacks the required federal safety certification on the vehicle.

The DMV blocks vehicles without that certification from being registered or inspected.