State Police to target distracted drivers

Thanksgiving holiday drivers be warned: State Police are stepping up enforcement of New York's laws against driving while using cellphones and other devices, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Thursday.

The governor's office said police are targeting motorists who use their cellphones and other electronic devices while driving.

The initiative, called Operation Hang Up, begins Wednesday and ends Nov. 27, the holiday period when traffic volume traditionally climbs.

"Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we will be stepping up our enforcement measures to send a clear message to drivers: Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel," Cuomo said in a news release.

He said using a handheld device, such as talking on or sending text messages from a cellphone, is illegal and puts the lives and safety of New Yorkers on the road at risk.

More motorists are expected to be away from home this holiday weekend, according to results of a AAA survey. The organization said Thursday it expects 42.5 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving. That's up 4 percent from a year ago.

AAA said 90 percent of travelers will drive and 8 percent will fly. The findings are based on a survey of 1,357 people nationwide, including 543 who said they plan to travel. Just three years ago, at the height of the recession, fewer than 38 million Americans traveled for the holiday.

Operation Hang Up is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through a Distracted Driving Enforcement Grant. The $322,856 grant allows State Police "to focus patrol resources" on distracted driving, the news release said.

The initiative will be conducted statewide, and a spokesman from the governor's office said the grant also can be applied to other traffic safety initiatives that come up.

In July, Cuomo signed a new law to strengthen enforcement of distracted driving violations. The law gave police the power to pull over motorists solely for using a handheld device while driving and also increased the penalty from two points to three points.

With news services