Officials to crack down on distracted driving
Campaign announced during event at Saratoga Automobile Museum
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Law enforcement and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Traffic Safety Committee launched a statewide campaign to crack down on distracted driving at an event Wednesday morning at the Saratoga Automobile Museum.
With April being National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, law enforcement will be cracking down people who use their phones while driving, officials said.
“Events and campaigns like this one continue to send a clear message to drivers: keep your eyes on the ride, and not on your phone,” said State Police Major Robert Patnaude. “It seems pretty logical that taking your eyes and your attention off the road to read and to type would be extremely dangerous. Those who believe they can text and drive are kidding themselves.”
Patnaude explained how state police has issued over 7,000 tickets statewide for distracted driving. There have been over 1000 tickets issued in the Capital Region alone.
“We get calls from civilians on a regular basis telling us they are driving behind a drunk driver,” said Patnaude. “When we get there and stop the car, we often find the person isn’t drunk, but they were texting and driving. If something you are doing something while you’re driving makes people think you’re drunk, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.”
Terri Egan, Acting Commissioner of the Traffic Safety Committee, explained how distract driving convictions will put five points on your license. Once a driver reaches 11 points, their license is lost.
This month’s emphasis on stopping distracted driving is called Operation Crack Down.
Egan said that, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during daylight hours approximately 600,060 drivers use cell phones while driving.
The NHTSA attributed more than 3,000 deaths last year to distracted driving, calling it a dangerous epidemic, Egan said.
“We know all too well that using cell phones to talk or text while driving is one of the most dangerous driving behaviors that we’re currently battling,” said Egan.
In addition to law enforcement and the Traffic Safety Committee sharing facts behind distract driving, Karen Torres shared a personal story of her father being struck and killed while working in construction by a distract driver and Saratoga Automobile Museum’s executive director, Carly Connors, discussed distracted driving simulators provided on-site courtesy of the Museum.
Students from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School attended Wednesday’s presentation, testing the simulators immediately following.