If you are among the majority of New York drivers, you might not have noticed anything different out on the state’s roads in the past week. Then again, if you pride yourself on being an attentive driver, you might have noticed that there were a lot more flashing lights from law enforcement vehicles.
This was Speed Week in the state and the New York State Police report that they issued more than 22,000 tickets during this particular window of opportunity. The final tally for this year wound up being slightly less than the 25,000 citations issued last year, but officials say that’s because Speed Week happened to be held at the same time as another campaign specifically aimed at curbing distracted driving.
Distracted driving was on the menu of this year’s Speed Week. Of course, speeding was too. But that doesn’t mean officials turned a blind eye to other alleged infractions. Besides some 600 tickets issued for drivers suspected of talking on cellphones, officials say they issued nearly 300 for driving and texting. About 240 individuals were tagged for suspected drunk driving.
Those familiar with the legal system as it pertains to charges of driving while impaired know that those who are accused are facing a life-altering experience. They will have to appear in court, perhaps for the first time in their life. If a conviction is obtained, penalties will be imposed, but it may be possible to mitigate consequences through negotiations. That’s something that typically is best left in the hands of a skilled attorney.
Source: Poughkeepsie Journal, “State police dish out 22,000 tickets in one week,” Joseph Spector, Aug. 15, 2014
