While law enforcement in New York State is always on the lookout for drivers who might be committing traffic violations, there are certain times when they will make an extra effort to issue citations. The violations that are part of this crackdown can range from the serious for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs to acts that are dangerous when drivers are speeding, driving while distracted, failing to wear seatbelts, and not moving over when an emergency vehicle is behind them. While no one wants drivers to behave in this way, that does not mean that all tickets are justified. With the financial penalties and even potential for incarceration, it is important that drivers understand their rights to contest a ticket and have legal help when doing so.
Law enforcement and legislators often decide to initiate a crackdown during the holidays and it did so over Thanksgiving. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee funded the increased detail. It went from the day before Thanksgiving until the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The New York State Police has revealed the number of tickets and arrests made during that time. The highest number of citations came about because of distracted drivers and speeding.
In its attempts to catch drivers, various tactics were used such as installing sobriety checkpoints, raising the number of law enforcement officers on patrol for DWI, and issuing citations for drivers who were using their cellphones and other devices while driving. There was a total of 215 DWI arrests. More than 1,240 accidents happened and one person was killed. More than 5,800 people got tickets for speeding. 774 tickets were issued for distracted driving. 485 tickets were given for not wearing seatbelts. And 218 tickets were issued for drivers who did not adhere to the move over law.
Traffic violations might not seem to be particularly serious, but they can cause major problems for a person, many of which they did not consider in the immediate aftermath when they decided that it was not worthwhile to fight it. For example, a speeding ticket or distracted driving ticket can result in points on the driver license and lead to increased insurance rates. If a person accrues enough points, their license can be suspended. For those charged with DWI, it is even more imperative to have legal help. When driving over the holidays, it is wise to remember that law enforcement is seeking to issue summonses for even minor violations. Having legal assistance after it happens is key and can mitigate the penalties or outright dismiss traffic violations.
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