(Oneida , NY– Troop D) Last week, the New York State Police joined the International Association of Chiefs of Police, United States Department of Transportation and state police and highway patrol leaders from more than 40 states to announce the Drive to Save Lives Campaign.
The implementation of the Drive to Save Lives Campaign is a united effort by state police and highway patrol leaders to reduce highway fatalities by 15 percent in 2014. More than 33,000 deaths occur each year on our nation’s roadways. Highway fatalities rank as one of the top 12 causes of death in the United States and it is the leading cause of death among teens.
Most crashes are preventable.
“The New York State Police will always be dedicated to traffic safety and the ongoing effort to prevent the needless deaths that occur on our roadways each year,” said New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico. “Partnering with IACP, DOT and other law enforcement agencies only enhances our commitment to traffic safety and saving lives.”
The New York State Police will participate in the campaign along the I-90 corridor. I-90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States and a portion of it is patrolled by Troops G and T.
The yearlong campaign focuses on the use of seat-belt and speed enforcement and targets impaired and distracted driving. Law enforcement will also be on the lookout for unsafe driving behaviors by operators of large trucks and buses. State police and highway patrol leaders will work to change the high-risk behaviors of motorists that lead to crashes through education and awareness, partnerships, and high-visibility traffic enforcement.
Another major element of the Drive to Save Lives Campaign is officer safety. Traffic-related incidents are the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths of law enforcement officers. Last year, 46 officers were killed on U.S. roadways, representing more than 40 percent of all line-of-duty deaths for the year.
The New York State Police stress that while this campaign is a yearlong effort and partnership, the agency will always be dedicated to traffic safety and the ongoing effort to prevent the needless deaths that occur on our roadways each year.
Media and the public can follow the campaign on Twitter at @nyspolice and #Drive2SaveLives.