State, local law enforcement launch July 4th traffic enforcement campaign

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — New York State Police and local law enforcement have launched a campaign to crack down on reckless driving during the Fourth of July holiday, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) announced on Tuesday. The initiative will run through Sunday.

During the campaign, police officers and state troopers will set up sobriety checkpoints throughout the state. They will also reportedly increase patrols on roadways to target dangerous and aggressive drivers and those who don’t obey the Move Over Law. More than 37,000 tickets were issued during last year’s campaign.

“Our goal is to keep New York’s roadways safe for everyone to enjoy their holiday weekend,” said Mark J.F. Schroeder, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles commissioner and chair of the GTSC. “We are simply asking anyone celebrating to plan ahead and ensure they have a sober ride home. We will not tolerate drivers who make poor decisions that compromise everyone’s safety.”

In addition to increased traffic enforcement, the state will also suspend temporary lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways. The suspension will go into effect on Thursday at 6 a.m. and continue through 6 a.m. on Monday.

Some construction work may still continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs, according to authorities.

“Governor Hochul’s decision to suspend construction activities this weekend will help ensure that New Yorkers spend the coming days celebrating our nation’s birthday and not sitting in traffic,” Department of Transportation Commissioner Maria Therese Dominguez said. “The Independence Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the summer and we want everyone to get where they need to go safely and with a minimum of hassles.”