"After 34 years of state and county service, Commissioner Fiala is retiring effective today," said a spokeswoman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles in a terse statement.

Fiala's resignation comes after a tumultuous autumn. In October, she was caught speeding, not long after her son — a Broome County legislator — pleaded guilty to hitting a cyclist while drunk. Last month, it came to light that a DMV judge took less than a minute to dispose of two tickets levied against a driver who had fatally struck a three-year old in Queens.

Those incidents were enough for traffic safety advocates to call for Fiala's resignation. Now, some are hoping that Fiala's exit will pave the way for reform at the DMV, which, despite its reputation is an agency often seen as more focused on improving the customer service experience than on driver safety.

"Governor Cuomo needs to make use of this opportunity and appoint a commissioner who is serious about traffic safety," said Transportation Alternatives' Brian Zumhagen. "We need prompt and meaningful action from the next DMV commissioner and the agency’s courts to hold reckless and careless drivers accountable when they kill or maim New Yorkers."

In an interview with Gannett Media, Fiala didn't offer specifics about her next role. "One door closes and another opens," she said. "I have several options that I’m weighing right now.”

Prior to becoming DMV commissioner in 2011, Fiala was the county executive of Broome County.

No word yet from Cuomo's office as to Fiala's successor.