Don't Text and Drive - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was underlining that mandate in an appearance this morning at a Thruway rest area, as Thruway authorities plan to ramp up penalties for distracted driving.
Despite a beefed-up public awareness campaign and new laws combating distracted driving, New York State Troopers issued 21,500 tickets issued over the summer, compared to 5,000 last year.
According to a recent survey by AT&T, 97 percent of teens across the country are aware that texting while driving can be dangerous, yet 43 percent admitted doing it. In New York, there have been 3 times more distracted driving incidents this year than 7 years ago.
Governor Cuomo stopped by the New Baltimore Service Plaza to talk tough about texting
“New York State is continuing to use every tool at its disposal to combat texting-while-driving,” Governor Cuomo said. “In addition to tougher penalties, new detection methods for State Police and ongoing public outreach efforts, we are now launching special Texting Zones to allow motorists to pull over and use their phones. These Zones will be identified with signs along the Thruway and State Highways, reminding drivers that there is a nearby opportunity for them to legally and safely use their phone. With this new effort, we are sending a clear message to drivers that there is no excuse to take your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road because your text can wait until the next Texting Zone.”
The locations of the 91 Texting Zones are below:
County | Highway | Locality/Specific Location |
Albany | I-87 | New Baltimore Service Area |
Albany | I-87 | Rest Area - 3 miles south of Albany |
Clinton | I-87 | Beekmantown |
Clinton | I-87 | Point Au Roche |
Clinton | I-87 | Valcour |
Essex | I-87 | High Peaks NB |
Essex | I-87 | High Peaks SB |
Essex | I 87 | Elizabethtown |
Essex | I 87 | Lewis |
Rockland | I-87 | Ramapo Service Area |
Rockland | I-87 | Sloatsburg Service Area |
Saratoga | I-87 | Clifton Park |
Ulster | I-87 | Ulster Service Area |
Ulster | I-87 | Modena Service Area |
Ulster | I-87 | Plattekill Service Area |
Ulster | I-87 | Malden Service Area |
Ulster | I-87 | Rest Area - 11 miles south of Catskill |
Ulster | I-87 | Rest Area - 8 miles north of Kingston |
Warren | I 87 | Lake George |
Warren | I-87 | South Glens Falls |
Warren | I-87 | North Glens Falls |
Westchester | I-87 | Ardsley Service Area |
Cortland | I-81 | Preble |
Livingston | I-390 | Mt. Morris |
Livingston | I-390 | Geneseo |
Cattaraugus | I-86 | Allegany River |
Chautauqua | I-86 | Chautauqua L./Ellery |
Cattaraugus | I 86 | Randolph |
Cattaraugus | I 86 | Randolph |
Allegany | I-86 | Friendship |
Steuben | I-86 | Kanona |
Steuben | I-86 | Campbell |
Steuben | I 390 | Cohocton |
Steuben | US Hwy 15/I86 | Erwin |
Steuben | I 86 | Erwin |
Steuben | I 86 | Hornellsville |
Jefferson | I-81 | 1000 Islands/Orleans |
Jefferson | I-81 | Watertown |
Jefferson | I 81 | Ellisburg |
Jefferson | I 81 | Ellisburg |
Jefferson | I 81 | Orleans |
Jefferson | I 81 | Pamelia |
Jefferson | I 81 | Pamelia |
Jefferson | I 81 | Pamelia |
Jefferson | I 81 | Watertown |
Orange | I-84 | Wallkill |
Orange | I-84 | Middletown |
Dutchess | I-84 | Stormville |
Dutchess | I-84 | Fishkill |
Putnam | I-684 | Brewster |
Weschester | I-684 | Bedford |
Orange | I 84 | Greenville |
Orange | I 84 | Greenville |
Chenango | I-81 | Whitney Point |
Tioga | NY 17 | Nichols |
Tioga | NY 17 | Owego |
Delaware | NY 17 | East Branch |
Sullivan | NY 17 | Roscoe |
Broome | I-81 | Penn State Line |
Otsego | I-88 | Unadilla |
Otsego | I-88 | East Worcester |
Suffolk | I 495 | Huntington |
Suffolk | I 495 | Huntington |
Cayuga | I-90 | Port Byron Service Area |
Erie | I-90 | Clarence Service Area |
Erie | I-90 | Angola Service Area EB |
Erie | I-90 | Angola Service Area WB |
Erie | I-90 | Rest Area - 2 miles east of Eden/Angola |
Erie | I-90 | Rest Area - 7 miles west of Hamburg |
Genesee | I-90 | Pembroke Service Area |
Herkimer | I-90 | Iroquois Service Area |
Herkimer | I-90 | Schuyler Service Area |
Herkimer | I-90 | Indian Castle Service Area |
Madison | I-90 | Chittenango Service Area |
Monroe | I-90 | Ontario Service Area |
Monroe | I-90 | Scottsville Service Area |
Montgomery | I-90 | Mohawk Service Area |
Montgomery | I-90 | Rest Area - 10 miles east of Canajoharie |
Montgomery | I-90 | Rest Area - 2 miles west of Fultonville |
Oneida | I-90 | Oneida Service Area |
Oneida | I-90 | Rest Area - 3 miles east of Verona |
Oneida | I-90 | Rest Area - 3 miles west of Verona |
Onondaga | I-90 | Warners Service Area |
Onondaga | I-90 | DeWitt Service Area |
Ontario | I-90 | Junius Ponds |
Ontario | I-90 | Seneca Service Area |
Ontario | I-90 | Clifton Springs Service Area |
Ontario | I-90 | Rest Area - 9 miles east of Rochester |
Schenectady | I-90 | Pattersonville Service Area |
Schenectady | I-90 | Guilderland Service Area |
Seneca | I-90 | Rest Area - 15 miles west of Weedsport |
Thruway Authority Executive Director Thomas J. Madison said, “The safety of motorists is our highest priority at the Thruway Authority, and 2012 was the safest year in Thruway’s six-decade history. We are always looking at new and better ways to make the highway even safer, and Governor Cuomo’s Text Stops initiative is an excellent way for drivers to stay in touch while recognizing the dangers of using mobile devices while driving.”
Nationally, drivers are being urged to join the "It Can Wait" campaign, which asks drivers to put down their phones when they pick up their car keys.
The "It Can Wait" website also has a simulator that syncs with your smartphone and asks to respond to a text message while driving virtually. It shows how dangerous it can get to the mix texting with driving. CLICK HERE to access the simulator.
