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REMINDER: Law enforcement agencies across New York will have increased patrols for Speed Awareness Week

Published on September 10, 2024

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ALBANY, NY- Law enforcement agencies throughout New York have been increasing their patrols for Speed Awareness Week.

Through September 14, police will be zoning in on those who are a little heavy with their driving foot. “Speeding is completely avoidable yet has become part of normal driving behavior and this campaign intends to serve as a reminder of just how dangerous it is, and to hold speeders accountable," said New York DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder.

The initiative began on Monday, September 9. Speed Awareness Week is a high-visibility enforcement campaign, supported by funding from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to stop speeding and prevent avoidable crashes caused by unsafe speed.

Last year, during Speed Awareness Week campaigns in June and August combined, law enforcement throughout the state issued 27,372 tickets for speeding, 2,738 tickets for alcohol- or drug-impaired driving, 4,545 tickets for distracted driving, and more than 80,000 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations.

Data shows fatal crashes in New York caused by unsafe speed increase during the summer and fall months with the highest totals in June through October. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding causes:

  • Greater potential for loss of vehicle control;
  • Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment;
  • Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger;
  • Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries; and,
  • Increased fuel consumption/cost.

According to data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR) at the University at Albany's Rockefeller College, the rate of crashes where unsafe speed was a contributing factor has gone down since 2022; however, the rate of individuals killed or injured has increased.

In 2022, there were 34,658 crashes in New York, with 18,153 killed or injured, compared to 33,844 crashes and 18,833 killed or injured in 2023.

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