State Police: ‘Speed Week’ to target unsafe drivers through Aug. 8

“Speed Week,” a weeklong enforcement initiative by the New York State Police to crack down on speeding and aggressive drivers, starts Wednesday and runs through next Tuesday.

Speeding by all vehicle types, as well as other traffic violations, will be heavily enforced throughout the week in addition to normal year-round enforcement. Troopers will also be watching for other traffic violations, including distracted or impaired drivers, vehicle occupants who are not properly buckled up, and drivers violating New York’s Move Over law.

“The goal of this campaign and our traffic enforcement efforts all year is to reduce speed related crashes and improve safe travel for drivers and passengers on New York’s roads,” State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said in a news release. “Staying within the posted speed limits, driving defensively, and putting your smartphone away will reduce the number of fatal accidents and increase safety for everyone on the highway.”

Speeding is listed as a contributing factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes in the state, the release added. In 2015, 343 people were killed and 18,191 people were injured in speed-related crashes statewide.

For this summer’s Speed Week, troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles, which allow troopers to more easily identify motorists who are violating laws while driving. CITE vehicles blend in with everyday traffic until the emergency lights are activated.

During the August 2016 Speed Week campaign, State Police issued more than 21,600 traffic tickets, including 10,500 tickets for speeding, and nearly 650 for distracted driving.

Funding for the Speed Week initiative is provided through a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.