The New York State Police and the Department of Transportation today announced the start of “Operation Hardhat,” a joint effort to crack down on work zone violations and highlight the importance of safe driving through active construction and maintenance work zones on state highways.
Members of the New York State Police Troop E will patrol several active work zones throughout the State Department of Transportation’s Rochester and Hornell regions this week to ticket motorists who disobey flagging personnel, speed through the work zone or violate the state’s Move Over Law, which applies to emergency and work vehicles. The State Department of Transportation recently launched a new Public Service Announcement highlighting the importance of moving over in construction work zones across the state.
State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett said, “Law enforcement and other emergency responders, including highway workers, work in a dangerous environment and risk their lives to keep the traveling public safe. It is important that motorists are aware of their responsibility to follow the rules of the road and know that violations of the Move Over Law and work zone intrusions will not be tolerated.”
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Establishing and maintaining a highway work zone helps keep both our workers and the traveling public safe. As our Department’s field staff and the State Police face increasing dangers from distracted drivers as they work on our state highways, this is an excellent opportunity to collaborate and raise awareness. I thank the New York State Troopers who will be joining us this week and working towards our shared mission of highway safety.”
Both emergency responders and highway workers depend on motorists being aware of their surroundings, using patience and caution. It is critical that motorists pay attention behind the wheel and eliminate distractions, especially on interstates and other multi-lane highways.
New York’s Move Over Law requires motorists to carefully slow down and safely move over when approaching law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks, and construction and maintenance vehicles stopped along the roads.
Construction and maintenance crews across the state work alongside fast-moving traffic each day, knowing their lives depend on drivers being alert, patient and cautious. It is critically important that motorists eliminate distractions, pay attention to driving and, on multi-lane highways, move over a travel lane to give highway workers room.
Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone, and in accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual's driver license. Work zone safety tips can be found at https://www.ny.gov/programs/work-zone-safety-awareness.
