Northport Police Holds 'No Empty Chair' Initiative This Week

The Northport Police Department is participating in a week-long initiative promoting traffic safety called “No Empty Chair.”

The initiative, which runs through Monday and Friday, looks to have no high school prom or graduation chairs left empty due to teenagers involved in motor vehicle crashes.

“Protecting our children is our highest priority,” Northport Police Chief Bill Ricca said in a press release. “Our goal is not necessarily enforcement, but to educate the motoring public in general and teen aged drivers in particular, about the dangers of passing a stopped school bus as well as committing any of the No Empty Chair violations.”

“No Empty Chair” will focus on

• speeding in school zones
• seat belt violations
• cell phone use
• Operation Safe Spot, which will be held on Thursday to bring attention to injuries and deaths caused to students by motorists who pass stopped school buses that are loading or unloading children.

The initiative is sponsored by the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee. The Northport Police Department will take part in all the enforcement initiatives during the week.

Operation Safe Spot is held by the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee and the New York Association for Pupil Transport, Suffolk Chapter.

Patch photo