Lay Off the Gas Pedal During New York Speed Awareness Week

This week is speed awareness week in New York, and law enforcement agencies will be placing increased emphasis on catching speeding drivers across the state.

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According to a report by Hailie Higgins of Rochester First, from August 14 to August 21, law enforcement agencies will be targeting speeders with increased patrols as part of their annual Speed Awareness Week program.

Obviously, you should never speed during any week of the year. Speeding is incredibly dangerous and a potentially costly mistake should you run into a speed trap.

But as anyone who's driven through a parking lot in Binghamton can attest to, New Yorkers don't typically respect the numbers on the speed limit sign. Hence why law enforcement agencies are letting people know that this week in particular, they're on high alert for people working on their stunt driving resumes.

Per Higgins' report, speed contributed to almost 30% of crashes from 2016 to 2021 and 353 fatal crashes in 2021 alone.

Governor Kathy Hochul stated "There are countless risks and tragic consequences to speeding. This enforcement campaign will be crucial not only to catch speeders but also to encourage all drivers to maintain safe speeds on our roadways, and I encourage all New Yorkers to take your time and get to your destination safely."

So this week in particular, New Yorkers should be aware that law enforcement agencies are actively seeking out speeding cars, and adjust their driving habits accordingly. And maybe in doing so, people will start to realize that speeding just isn't worth it and carry safe driving habits beyond speed awareness week.