State Police Launch 'Operation Hang Up' to Tackle Distracted Driving

By ALFRED BRANCH (Patch Staff)

Starting today, State Police troopers in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties are participating in a statewide crackdown on distracted driving, part of April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The initiative runs April 10-15.

Troopers in marked and unmarked vehicles “will aggressively ticket drivers using handheld devices—like smartphones—during Operation Hang Up,” according to officials.

“Distracted motorists who fail to focus their undivided attention on the roadway, place themselves, their passengers and others at risk,” said Major Robin H. Benziger, Troop Commander of Troop K, in a prepared statement. “Refraining from using your cell phone while driving isn’t just common sense, it is a simple way to make the roads safer for everyone.”

During the last such campaign, Nov 26-30, 2014, state police issued more than 1,000 tickets, including more than 550 tickets for distracted driving. These tickets were a combination of talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving, texting, or using an electronic device while driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,154 people were killed and 424,000 were injured nationwide in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2013. Additionally, 10 percent of all fatal accidents involved a driver who was identified as distracted at the time of the crash.

• For a first offense, the minimum fine is $50 and the maximum is $200
• A second offense in 18 months increases the maximum fine to $250
• A third offense in 18 months results in a maximum fine of $450
• Probationary and junior drivers face a 120-day suspension of their license for a first offense, and one year revocation of their permit or license if a second offense is committed within six months.

Operation Hang Up is a special enforcement effort to step up patrols and checkpoints. Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (unmarked) vehicles.

The campaign is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. For more information, visit www.safeny.ny.gov. For more information on New York State’s cell-phone and texting laws, go towww.dmv.ny.gov/cellphone.htm. For more information on distracted driving, visit http://www.distraction.gov/.

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